The Tripoli Central Bank (CBL) of Libya has again claimed that it has no objection to an international audit being conducted of both its books and that of its rival in eastern Libya.
The revelation from the Tripoli CBL came today in its brief statement announcing that its Governor, Al-Siddiq Al-Kabir, had initiated a telephone call with Acting UNSMIL head Stephanie Williams.
Specifically, the Tripoli CBL statement said ‘‘a number of files of common interest were discussed, at the top of which was the international audit file of the Central Bank of Libya and the parallel bank in Al-Beida (in eastern Libya), and the (Tripoli CBL) governor confirmed in particular the position of the Central Bank of Libya on completing the review process unhindered’’.
The use of the term ‘‘unhindered’’ by the Tripoli CBL comes on the back of allegations that it is precisely the Tripoli CBL – and Al-Kabir in particular – that is ‘‘hindering’’ the international audit of both of Libya’s competing central banks.
Governor Al-Kabir initiated phone call to the Acting UNSMIL head is seen by analysts to have been in response to the strong language used by the U.S. Embassy in the section of its statement referring to the CBL audit.