Peace in Libya takes big step closer
FRANCE: Libya’s prime minister and its most powerful military commander have agreed to a ceasefire and elections during talks in Paris, marking the first substantial attempt to halt hostilities since the conflict erupted three years ago.
Faiez Serraj, head of the United Nations-backed unity government, met General Khalifa Haftar at the Chateau de La Celle-saint-cloud to negotiate a peace deal. During talks that were brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron, they agreed to organise parliamentary and presidential elections next spring. The deal signals that Haftar is ready to recognise Serraj’s administration.
‘‘The cause of peace has made a lot of progress today,’’ Macron said after Serraj and Haftar shook hands for the cameras. ‘‘The Mediterranean needs this peace.’’
The unity government has so far failed to secure the backing of Libya’s parliament and has struggled to fight off armed takeovers of Tripoli, where it is based. It needs the support of Haftar, whose army controls most of the east and south of the country. A 10-point joint statement drafted by France outlined a ceasefire, elections, and a commitment to produce a joint security body.
’’Both parties agreed to a ceasefire in all political conflicts across the whole of Libya, except for fighting terrorism. The elections, presidential and parliamentary, will take place as soon as possible. We are aiming for February 2018,’’ Akram Bouhlaiga, one of Haftar’s chief adjutants, said.
A unity government official said the other main understanding to be reached was the creation of a ‘‘unified army’’ with Haftar at the helm. ’’The main goal is to have a unified army under the authority of a civilian government. This could mean having Haftar as commander-in-chief.’’
Terrorists and people smugglers have flourished during Libya’s three-year war. This year nearly 95,000 migrants have landed in Italy from Libya, up from 88,000 in the same period last year.
The country is now roughly divided between east and west, with Serraj and his administration governing Tripoli and Haftar and the parliament controlling the east and south. They are also competing with a myriad militias, tribal groups and the weakened but not defeated Libyan branch of Islamic State.
Bouhlaiga said the halt in hostilities would not include terrorist groups such as al Qaeda, Isis and brigades allied to the Muslim Brotherhood and the ‘‘Libya shield’’ system. Some of these peripheral groups have provisionally backed the unity government.
Macron’s unilateral decision to host talks was met with anger in Italy, which has thrown its weight behind Serraj and views Haftar and his ragtag ‘‘Libyan National Army’’ with suspicion. Italian politicians and diplomats were furious at being sidelined. ‘‘It’s business as usual: the French go it alone instead of playing as a team,’’ a diplomatic source said.
The two sides said they would only use force for counterterrorism and to defend Libya’s borders. They also committed to ‘‘building the rule of law’’ and working towards the ‘‘disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration’’ of militia groups in the country.
Libya has been the main departure point for migrants and refugees from Africa crossing the Mediterranean towards Europe and the EU is keen to see a unified government that could stem their numbers.
The United States and European countries also fear that Isis, facing defeat on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, may try to regroup in a chaotic Libya or use the country as a launching point for attacks.
– The Times, Telegraph Group