CAIRO – 28 July 2017: Since the ouster of Libyan long-time leader Muammar Ghaddafi five years ago, the war-torn country draws wide international and regional interest, causing a serious threat on national security of North Africa and Europe.
Amid Egyptian intensive diplomatic efforts to support peace and stability in Libya, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry met Thursday with Libya’s UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Ghassan Salamé, according Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Ahmed Abu Zeid.
The meeting came following the French-sponsored talks held on Tuesday between Sarraj and the eastern commander of Operation Dignity Khalifa Haftar near Paris.
The two parties agreed in presence of the French President Emmanuel Macron to a conditional ceasefire and prepare for general elections.
It is the second time that Sarraj and Haftar have met in the space of three months after they held talks in Abu Dhabi in May. That meeting made little progress after both sides refused to sign any agreement.
Abu Zeid said that Shoukry hailed the results of the France meeting, noting that it marks another important step along the national reconciliation path between Libyan factions.
The spokesperson added that Sarraj briefed Minister Shoukry on the details of his meeting with General Haftar.
He stressed that both parties expressed their keenness to implement the Skhirat agreement - signed on December 17, 2015 - as the basis for the comprehensive political settlement in Libya.
On the other hand, Shoukry affirmed , during his meeting with Ghassan Salamé, the pivotal role of the United Nations in following up on the implementation of the Skhirat agreement. He also acquainted the UN Representative with Egypt's recent endeavors aimed at converging the views of the different Libyan parties, and assessed the regional and international efforts in this regard, Abu Zeid stated.
A joint statement
A joint statement was issued on Wednesday outlining the main principles of the agreement. It called for achieving the unity of Libyan territory and the army, confronting terrorist groups, and the adherence to the rule of law and the judiciary.
“This internationally-backed joint agreement will lead to a completely different phase in the country, through adopting a clear mechanism to organize the joint work between the main Libyan parties,” Libyan journalist Mohamed El-Sallak said.
The French talks came in the framework of continuous regional support the reconciliation under the auspices of Egypt, the U.A.E., Tunisia and Algeria, he added.
Sallak told Egypt Today that the recent agreement focused on implementing the Al- Skhirat deal, mainly Article 33 related to the security measures and expelling the militant groups out of the state facilities, as well as disarming them, which can lead to a comprehensive peace in Libya.
He expected that these efforts will lead to a final agreement between the rival forces by the end of this year, in preparation to holding the local parliamentary and presidential election in Libya.
“The first meeting was like breaking ice between the rivals. It is as important as the second meeting,” Sallak stressed.
He pointed out that the French president said in his speech after the meeting that the failure of reconciliation in Libya means a failure in the whole region, vowing to pave the way for implementing that agreement “whatever it takes.”
In regard with the inclusion of different Libyan militia within the Libyan army, Sallak noted that this step needs a long time and intensive cooperation between the parties.
He referred to a previous meeting held in Cairo, under the auspices of Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces Mahmoud Hegazy, between Egyptian high-ranking officers and a number of Libyan officers under the command of Haftar.
He said that this meeting has contributed to the positive results reached in the French meeting.
Regional and international support
Members of the Security Council welcomed recent efforts to strengthen an inclusive political dialogue among all Libyans, supported by Libya’s neighbors, international partners and regional organizations within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2259.
In that context, the members of the Security Council welcome the meeting of PM Sarraj and General Haftar in France and the joint declaration issued after the meeting. The council members urged all Libyans to support a negotiated political solution, national reconciliation, and an immediate ceasefire, as called for in the joint declaration.
Moreover, Arab League spokesperson Mahmoud Afifi expressed the council’s delight to the recent Libyan meeting in France, pointing out that this meeting represents a step towards a political settlement to end years of violence and the transitional phase.
Afifi stressed the importance of international efforts in facilitating Libyan-led political dialogue and building stability, security, and national unity.
Abu Dhabi meeting
In May, Sarraj has met with Haftar in Abu Dhabi in an attempt to reach a consensual agreement.
According to a local Libyan TV channel, the Abu Dhabi meeting reached an initial agreement to form a unified presidential council where of the commander of the army and the heads of both the Libyan government and the House of Representatives would be members. The two sides also agreed to form a unified Libyan army and dissolve all militant groups.
The December peace agreement did not determine the role of Haftar, whose troops currently control much of eastern Libya and the main oil terminals of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, so the question about how it will be implemented remains.
Libya has been locked in conflict since the revolt which overthrew long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi four years ago.
The civil war has witnessed the emergence of numerous armed groups, forcing several countries to evacuate their expatriates and diplomats.
According to a report issued by the UN Support Mission in Libya, 26 people were killed and two others injured in operations in all Libyan cities in April alone.
Among the victims were 23 civilians, including a woman and two children.
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