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France raises hopes of deal between Libyan rival factions France raises hopes of deal between Libyan rival factions
(35 minutes later)
The office of the French president has said it hopes Libya’s prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, and the divided country’s eastern commander, Khalifa Haftar, will agree on Tuesday to a conditional ceasefire and to work towards elections. The Elysée later said it was a draft statement that had been released prematurely. The office of the French president has said it hopes Libya’s prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, and the divided country’s eastern commander, Khalifa Haftar, will agree to a conditional ceasefire and to work towards elections.
The two men are due to meet the president, Emmanuel Macron, in the afternoon. They were quoted in the draft document as saying: “We commit to a ceasefire and to refrain from any use of armed force for any purpose that does not strictly constitute counter-terrorism.” The Élysée said later on Tuesday that it was a draft statement, which had been released prematurely.
The document added that Sarraj and Haftar were set to commit to working for elections as soon as possible under UN supervision. The two men are due to meet France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, in the afternoon. They were quoted in the draft document as saying: “We commit to a ceasefire and to refrain from any use of armed force for any purpose that does not strictly constitute counter-terrorism.”
A source at the Elysée said the draft statement was the result of negotiations between emissaries of the Libyan rivals and French officials, and its content could still be subject to some changes. The document added that Sarraj and Haftar were to commit to working for elections as soon as possible under UN supervision.
A source at the Élysée said the draft statement was the result of negotiations between emissaries of the Libyan rivals and French officials, and its content could be subject to change.
The French initiative has angered officials in Italy, which has previously taken the lead in efforts to bring peace to its former colony and has borne the brunt of migration across the Mediterranean from Libya.The French initiative has angered officials in Italy, which has previously taken the lead in efforts to bring peace to its former colony and has borne the brunt of migration across the Mediterranean from Libya.
Past attempts at peace deals in Libya were often disrupted by internal divisions among the myriad of competing armed groups that emerged after Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011. Past attempts at peace deals in Libya were often disrupted by internal divisions among the myriad of competing armed groups that emerged after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011.
Western governments are pushing a UN-backed political agreement to unify the country under which Sarraj’s Tripoli-based government was installed. But Haftar, who this month declared victory over rival armed groups in the battle for Libya’s second city, Benghazi, has refused to accept the government’s legitimacy.Western governments are pushing a UN-backed political agreement to unify the country under which Sarraj’s Tripoli-based government was installed. But Haftar, who this month declared victory over rival armed groups in the battle for Libya’s second city, Benghazi, has refused to accept the government’s legitimacy.