The Libyan National Army (LNA) is now ready to sign a document on the immediate cessation of hostilities, but the government in Tripoli does not want to do so, relying on a military solution. This was stated on Wednesday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after talks with the Foreign Ministers of the African Union Troika (DRC, Egypt, South Africa).
"At some stage, when we invited the main protagonists-Mr. [Khalifa] Haftar, [Faiz] Sarraj, [Aguila] Saleh-in January of this year to Moscow before the Berlin conference, when the Libyan National Army believed that its position was preferable on the ground, and was not ready to sign the relevant document, which was acceptable to Sarraj. Now the Libyan National Army, according to our estimates, is ready to sign such a document on the immediate cessation of hostilities, but the government in Tripoli does not want to do this, again counting on a military solution," he said.
Lavrov also expressed regret that the statement by all sides of the fact that there was no military solution to the Libyan conflict "is not being translated into practical actions".
Turkey is working in Tripoli
Turkey is working with the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli to reach an agreement to end the fighting.
"Our Turkish colleagues are working in this direction (the ceasefire-TASS) with the Government of National Accord. I hope that they will be able to achieve the only correct solution in the current conditions, " he said.
Lavrov added that the Russian Foreign Ministry and its Turkish counterparts were working to agree on approaches that would allow an immediate declaration of a ceasefire in Libya. The work is being carried out within the framework of a dialogue that was authorized at the highest level by the presidents of Russia and Turkey. "We send a clear signal that the first, integral, non - alternative step is to declare a complete cessation of hostilities," Lavrov said.
The participants of the conference on the Libyan settlement held in Berlin in early 2020 called for a ceasefire in the final document, pledged to refrain from intervention, proposed to create a unified government and start reforms to restore the statehood destroyed by the NATO intervention almost 10 years ago.
The US is trying to prevent the appointment of a new special envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Libya
The US actions give the impression of attempts to prevent the appointment of a new special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya.
"For six months, the UN Secretary-General has not been able to appoint a new special representative for Libya. Both the Foreign Minister of Algeria and the former Foreign Minister of Ghana were proposed, but the US refused to support them,"he said. "It seems that our American colleagues are trying to hobble the Secretary - General, Mr. Guterres."
The Minister drew attention to the fact that the acting special envoy for Libya was a US citizen, Stephanie Williams. "I would not like the United States to" hold hands" with the UN Secretariat, preventing the appointment of a special representative in the expectation that their compatriot will solve some tasks that we do not understand, " Lavrov said.
Power based on a balance of interests
Lavrov believes that the initiative to form state authorities, which will represent all three historical regions of Libya on the basis of a balance of interests, is a reasonable proposal.
"As for the military situation on the ground, which forces and from which side are preparing to cross a particular line-this is all secondary. If we agree that there is no military solution, we should just stop. And then there are already worked-out mechanisms," he said at a video-conference.
"There is the so-called military Committee "5+5", there is a proposal enshrined in the Cairo Declaration, including the proposal put forward by the head of the chamber of deputies in Tobruk, Mr. [Aguila] Saleh, who recently visited Moscow. I am referring to the formation of truly collective, equal bodies of state power, in which all three historical regions of Libya will be represented on the basis of a balance of interests. And I believe that this is an absolutely reasonable proposal, " the Minister said.
In April, Saleh put forward proposals to resolve the crisis, which include the formation of a commission to draft a new constitution with the participation of experts from the three historical regions of Libya - Cyrenaica (North-East), Tripolitania (West) and Fezzan (South), as well as with the involvement of foreign experts in this field. It is given 90 days to work, and at the same time it is proposed to restructure the Presidential Council, including one representative from the three regions who will choose the head of this body, and to form a government of national unity. The term of office of the Cabinet of Ministers will be limited to the period necessary for holding parliamentary and presidential elections.
In Libya, for several years, there have been two parallel bodies of executive power - the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Faiz Sarraj in Tripoli and the interim Cabinet acting in the East together with the Parliament and with the support of the LNA field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. On April 4, 2019, Haftar launched an offensive on Tripoli, the capital's government later turned to Turkey for protection.
With Ankara's support, the GNA managed to regain control of a number of territories captured by the LNA. In particular, in May, its formations occupied al-Vaty, abandoned by Haftar's forces. Later, it was reported that Turkey was negotiating with the Cabinet in Tripoli about the possibility of using Libyan military bases-both al-Vaty and the naval base in the city of Misrata (200 km East of Tripoli).
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS