The parties to the conflict in Libya should immediately cease-fire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
As the Minister said, the military superiority of one side over another in the conflict in Libya in recent years every time a temporary nature, has always come the response, the situation on the ground changed, and depending on who was advancing and who was retreating, the retreating side was ready to negotiate, but the coming was not inclined to. "And everyone has understood this for a long time," the Minister told reporters after a video conference with the Foreign Ministers of China and India.
"Therefore, I do not see any options other than an immediate cease-fire. And resolving all other issues on the basis of the negotiation process in line with the understandings that are enshrined in the Declaration of the Berlin conference," he stressed.
As the Russian Foreign Minister noted, this also applies to the political structure of Libya - all three main historical regions of this country should be equally represented in the negotiation process and its results in the new state authorities, both executive and legislative. Economic issues should also be resolved with consideration for the interests and balance of interests of each of these three parts of the country.
"And the question of who will have legitimate force in relation to the use of military force in the Libyan state should also be the subject of agreements," Lavrov said.
According to him, external players in Libya should promote an inclusive inter-Libyan dialogue, and Turkey and Egypt agree with this.
"External players should do everything to help create conditions for an inclusive inter-Libyan dialogue. My telephone contacts over the past few days have included conversations with both the Turkish Foreign Minister and the Egyptian Foreign Minister. Both my colleagues unequivocally spoke in favor of this approach: the absence of a military solution must be recognized by all, we must sit down at the negotiating table and look for generally acceptable agreements," Lavrov said.
After the overthrow and death of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, a standoff continues in Libya between the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Fayez Sarraj, which controls Tripoli and territories in the West of the country, and the Libyan National Army under the command of Khalifa Haftar, who has been trying to retake the capital for more than a year. Haftar has political support from Egypt. Both sides of the conflict claim that the opponents receive assistance with weapons and manpower from outside. In recent weeks, the GNA forces have reported significant successes in the battle for Tripoli and have declared their intention to build on that success by taking control of the city of Sirte and other territories East of the capital.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from RIA Novosti