U.N. hails Libya talks as ‘positive’

Opposing parties of the Libyan parliament held what the U.N. hailed as “positive” talks on Monday, to end a split that has left the country with rival governments.

The factions “agreed to start a political process and to address all issues in a peaceful way with a very strong call for a complete ceasefire,” U.N. mission chief Bernardino Leon said at the end of the two-hour meeting.

The U.N.-brokered hard-won meeting in the remote oasis town of Ghadames, which was only confirmed overnight.

Although no formal accord was announced, the dialogue was “very constructive and very positive,” and sent “a strong message of unity to the Libyan people,” Leon said. He added that it would resume after the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha which starts on Friday in Libya.

Government representatives from Britain and Malta, Libya’s close Mediterranean neighbor, attended the closed-door meeting.

The majority faction in the legislature elected on June 25 has been meeting in the far eastern town of Tobruk near the border with Egypt since Islamist militia and their allies took control of most of the capital last month.

The minority faction stayed in Tripoli and has boycotted the Tobruk sessions.

The Tobruk-based government of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thani is internationally recognised but Libya's three main cities are almost entirely outside its control.

The Islamists and their allies have established a rival government in Tripoli headed by Omar al-Hassi, and have reconvened the previous legislature which they dominated.

The U.N.-brokered dialogue aims to reach a "framework agreement on the rules of procedures" for parliament and another on "the critical issues relating to the governance of the country", the UN mission said earlier this month.

The mission said it hopes the two sides will also agree a date and venue for a ceremony during which the previous parliament would transfer power to the internationally recognized legislature.

"Agreement on these points will allow for future discussions on the critical issues of governance and the political transition and full normalization of institutions and the country," it added.

Libya has been in turmoil ever since the NATO-backed uprising which ousted and killed longtime dictator Muammer Qaddafi in 2011 with a myriad of former rebel militias vying for power.

In May, renegade general Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive against Islamists in the eastern city of Benghazi, including the jihadist Ansar al-Sharia group.

There has been almost daily fighting between Haftar's forces and the militias, which now control nearly all of Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 uprising.

(With AFP)