Abul Gheit leaves for Paris to take part in int'l conference on Libya

CAIRO - 28 May 2018: Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit left on Monday for Paris to take part in a UN-sponsored international conference on Libya.

The conference will kick off on Tuesday at the Elysee Palace with the participation of 19 countries.

The conference comes after seven years of conflict as it is a continuation of the efforts made since 2011 by the international community and the United Nations with the aim of starting a new period of stability and cooperation, expected by all Libyan people, according to a statement released by the Elysee Palace.

"Libyan officials and the international community will be invited on that day to engage in the implementation of an inclusive political road map, in order to end the crisis that has affected the country and the region for several years," the statement added.

Two weeks ago, France proposed an initiative to the Libyan political parties to hold a meeting in Paris to discuss a plan to end the political crisis.

Despite a UN-sponsored political agreement signed by the Libyan rivals in December 2015 and appointment of the UN-backed unity government, Libya remains politically divided between authorities in the east and the west.