Libya's Council of State says keen to hold elections on time

TRIPOLI, Libya

Libya’s High Council of State said Sunday that it is keen on holding the Libyan elections on time as scheduled.

The council head, Khaled al-Mishri, met on Sunday in Tripoli with Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino and special envoy Nicola Orlando.

Al-Mishri said the council is keen on reaching a consensus with the House of Representatives (parliament) on election laws.

"The council finalized a draft for the constitutional basis and proposed laws for the parliamentary and presidential elections, and to consult about them with the House of Representatives," he added.

On Saturday, Libya's elections commission said 10,729 Libyans living abroad have registered for the upcoming elections.

The commission said 2,856,624 Libyans are eligible to cast a ballot in the Dec. 24 vote.

On March 16, an elected transitional authority made up of a unity government and a presidential council, assumed duties to lead Libya through a transitional phase to parliamentary and presidential elections slated for Dec. 24.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara