France to help Libyan December elections: Minister

TRIPOLI - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday said that France will help Libyans hold presidential and parliamentary elections.

He made his remarks during a joint press conference with Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Sayala in the Libyan capital Tripoli, after leaving neighboring Tunisia.

"Libyan leaders have pledged in Paris to hold presidential and legislative elections. France will push to help the Libyans go in this direction," the French official said.

He said that the Libyan Elections Commission received financial support from the United Nations estimated at one million U.S. dollars to prepare for the upcoming elections.

France hosted in May a meeting on Libya with the participation of different Libyan parties to end the political crisis in the country.

The parties agreed to hold and commit themselves to "credible" presidential and parliamentary elections slated for Dec 10.

"France continues to support the Libyans to reach a political solution between the political parties," Sayala told the press conference.

Despite signing a UN-sponsored peace agreement by the Libyan parties later in 2015, Libya remains politically divided between two governments in the east and the west, both competing for legitimacy.