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| Italian summit on Libya falls flat as key figures stay away | Italian summit on Libya falls flat as key figures stay away |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Italian diplomats have scrambled to inject momentum into a high-profile summit on the future of Libya after key participants stayed away from the Palermo conference. | Italian diplomats have scrambled to inject momentum into a high-profile summit on the future of Libya after key participants stayed away from the Palermo conference. |
| Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, had planned to use the event to confirm his country as the leading European power broker in Libya and timed it to follow the weekend armistice ceremonies in Paris, in the hope that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin would travel on to the Sicilian city. | Italy’s prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, had planned to use the event to confirm his country as the leading European power broker in Libya and timed it to follow the weekend armistice ceremonies in Paris, in the hope that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin would travel on to the Sicilian city. |
| Six hours after the conference started, however, the attendance list was in flux. Conte did not arrive until mid-afternoon, while the Italian foreign minister, Enzo Moavero, surprised some observers by flying to Brussels. | Six hours after the conference started, however, the attendance list was in flux. Conte did not arrive until mid-afternoon, while the Italian foreign minister, Enzo Moavero, surprised some observers by flying to Brussels. |
| It was not yet clear whether Italian diplomats had succeeded in persuading the dominant figure in Libya’s east, Khalifa Haftar, to attend, or if he would be an official participant. Conte’s spokesman said “Haftar is on his way to Palermo” but rather than take part in the conference he could attend private meetings. | |
| The former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi described the conference as “a resounding flop”, adding that credibility in foreign policy was a serious matter. | The former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi described the conference as “a resounding flop”, adding that credibility in foreign policy was a serious matter. |
| The Italians were however able to point to the attendance of the UN secretary general, António Guterres, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, Egypt’s president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and the Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. | The Italians were however able to point to the attendance of the UN secretary general, António Guterres, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, Egypt’s president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, and the Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. |
| Conte offered to add an extra session focused on Libyan security outside the formal summit in an attempt to assuage Haftar’s objections to a conference that he claimed was over-represented by Islamists and western politicians. Sisi’s presence may have persuaded him to attend. | Conte offered to add an extra session focused on Libyan security outside the formal summit in an attempt to assuage Haftar’s objections to a conference that he claimed was over-represented by Islamists and western politicians. Sisi’s presence may have persuaded him to attend. |
| On the sidelines of the two-day summit, the UN is due to set out a plan for elections to be held in the country by next summer, following a national reconciliation conference. | On the sidelines of the two-day summit, the UN is due to set out a plan for elections to be held in the country by next summer, following a national reconciliation conference. |
| A tussle for influence in Libya between France and Italy overhangs the summit. A French-Libyan summit held in Paris in May – to the annoyance of the Italians – set the date for the elections as 10 December, but that timetable has slipped. | A tussle for influence in Libya between France and Italy overhangs the summit. A French-Libyan summit held in Paris in May – to the annoyance of the Italians – set the date for the elections as 10 December, but that timetable has slipped. |
| The UN special envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salamé, speaking on the fringes of the summit, said the vote would now be held between late March and late June, but the format would depend on what was decided at the national conference scheduled for early next year. | The UN special envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salamé, speaking on the fringes of the summit, said the vote would now be held between late March and late June, but the format would depend on what was decided at the national conference scheduled for early next year. |
| “We want to ask at the national conference: what type of election do you want, parliamentary or presidential, and what kind of law,” he said. | “We want to ask at the national conference: what type of election do you want, parliamentary or presidential, and what kind of law,” he said. |
| Salamé said the national conference should “preferably” take place on Libyan soil, adding that surveys had shown 80% of Libyans want elections to end the stalemate between the country’s rival administrations, both of which are backed by armed groups. | Salamé said the national conference should “preferably” take place on Libyan soil, adding that surveys had shown 80% of Libyans want elections to end the stalemate between the country’s rival administrations, both of which are backed by armed groups. |
| Leaders of the internationally recognised house of representatives, politically close to Haftar, called for the dismissal of the envoy after he criticised its members for being “time wasting”, “sterile” and wanting elections to be “resisted at all costs”. | Leaders of the internationally recognised house of representatives, politically close to Haftar, called for the dismissal of the envoy after he criticised its members for being “time wasting”, “sterile” and wanting elections to be “resisted at all costs”. |
| Salamé showed no signs of backing down, insisting the Palermo conference needed to put pressure on the house for persistently refusing to approve a new election law, and generally obstructing progress. | Salamé showed no signs of backing down, insisting the Palermo conference needed to put pressure on the house for persistently refusing to approve a new election law, and generally obstructing progress. |
| He is being supported his deputy, Stephanie Williams, an American whose appointment signals a reignited US interest in Libya. | He is being supported his deputy, Stephanie Williams, an American whose appointment signals a reignited US interest in Libya. |
| Monday was devoted to technical meetings on economics, sectarian and security issues, among the main Libyan institutions and representatives of the foreign powers, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. | Monday was devoted to technical meetings on economics, sectarian and security issues, among the main Libyan institutions and representatives of the foreign powers, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. |
| The UN is trying to engineer a merger of the two rival central banks, starting with a financial audit of both, as well as measures to reduce corruption and the black market, and edge towards a unified security sector. | The UN is trying to engineer a merger of the two rival central banks, starting with a financial audit of both, as well as measures to reduce corruption and the black market, and edge towards a unified security sector. |
| Mustafa Sanallah, the chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation, said: “Economic transparency was the way to guarantee the fair distribution of oil revenues and bring an end to the feelings of economic injustice that have fragmented Libya.” | Mustafa Sanallah, the chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation, said: “Economic transparency was the way to guarantee the fair distribution of oil revenues and bring an end to the feelings of economic injustice that have fragmented Libya.” |
| He also called for those responsible for disrupting oil production or distribution to be identified and debarred from public office. | He also called for those responsible for disrupting oil production or distribution to be identified and debarred from public office. |
| One Italian diplomatic source said no definitive elections date should be set at the summit and they were “not sure that there will be a final document” after the talks. | One Italian diplomatic source said no definitive elections date should be set at the summit and they were “not sure that there will be a final document” after the talks. |
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