Libya's eastern-based government delivers office to new unity government

Libyan flag

TRIPOLI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The eastern-based government of Libya on Tuesday officially handed over office to the new Government of National Unity.

A delegation of the Government of National Unity, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Al-Gatrani and a number of ministers, arrived in the eastern city of Benghazi, and officially received office from the eastern-based government, according to a statement issued by the Government's information office.

The delegation met with senior officials and tribal leaders of eastern Libya, where Al-Gatrani confirmed that the state of political division in the country is over and that the Government of National Unity will serve all the Libyans all over the country, the statement said.

Libya had been politically divided between eastern and western governments for years, before the Government of National Unity was approved recently by the House of Representatives.

The new Government's main task is to prepare for the upcoming general elections in Libya on Dec. 24, as agreed by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.