Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday announced a unilateral initiative to end the conflict in neighbouring Libya, a plan that was accepted by Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).
Al-Sisi told a news conference in Cairo that his initiative includes a cease-fire starting Monday and is meant to pave the way for elections in oil-rich Libya. He warned against continuing to look for a military solution to the country’s crisis.
“There can be no stability in Libya unless peaceful means to the crisis are found that include the unity and integrity of the national institutions,” el-Sissi said. “The initiative could be a new start in Libya.”
There was no immediate comment from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord under the command of Fayez al-Sarraj.
Libya has been dogged by conflict since the 2011 ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi’s death created a power vacuum that various armed groups sought to fill, resulting in an unending war that has killed thousands and driven hundreds of thousands out of their homes.
Haftar announced in early 2019 plans to forcefully take over Tripoli from the GNU, a plan that initially seemed to be on course until a Turkey intervention helped al-Sarraj’s forces to push back the advancing LNA troops.
Al-Sisi’s plan includes the formation of a presidential council in which Libya’s three regions would be represented. That council would rule the country during a 1 1/2-year transition period followed by elections.
The plan also includes the unification of all Libyan financial and oil institutions, and the disbanding of militias, so that the so-called Libyan National Army and other security agencies can “carry out their responsibilities,” el-Sissi said, without elaborating.
The Egyptian leader called for the withdrawal of all foreign fighters in Libya. Thousands of mercenaries, mostly form the war-torn Syria, have been fighting on both sides of the war.
Haftar said Saturday that Turkish intervention would increase regional and international polarization over Libya and “prolong the conflict.” He urged his host, el-Sisi, to work to force Turkey to withdraw its forces and the mercenaries it has sent.
“Turkey is sponsoring terrorism in front of the world and is transferring terrorists from one place to another within the Middle East and North Africa,” Haftar said. “This will further complicate the solution of the Libyan crisis.
The chaos in the oil-rich country has worsened in recent months as foreign backers increasingly intervene, despite pledges to the contrary at a high-profile peace summit in Berlin earlier this year. Haftar’s offensive on Tripoli has deeply polarized the already divided country and aborted UN efforts to hold a peace conference more than a year ago.
The military tide has been reversed in recent weeks. His forces lost almost all the territory they had gained since the beginning of the Tripoli offensive after Turkey increased its support to an array of militias loosely allied with the Tripoli-based government.
Haftar is are supported by France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries. Along with Turkey, the government in Tripoli is backed by Italy and Qatar.
Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi who was later killed. The country has split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.
(AP)
(C) Control TV 2020.
