United Nations, Rabi'I 22, 1433, Feb 14, 2012, SPA - The United Nations on Monday welcomed the official start of operations for Libya’s new electoral authorities. The members of Libya’s Higher National Electoral Commission were sworn in Sunday, days after the National Transitional Council (NTC) adopted electoral laws that set out details on the holding of polls later this year to choose members of the National Congress. The National Congress will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for Libya. In a statement issued Monday in Tripoli, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said the swearing-in of commission members means that the commission can now begin operational electoral preparations in earnest. “Despite difficult conditions and a limited time frame, it is encouraging that the NTC electoral committee did their best to respect the deadlines established in the constitutional declaration and that the delay in the adoption of the legal framework was only a limited one.” The mission said that the tight time frame for the elections-due to be held by late June-meant “implementation of the framework will require swift and immediate preparation.” --SPA 10:55 LOCAL TIME 07:55 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/970094