Key players still at odds as new summit on Libya crisis is set to open

Libya’s key political players are set to meet global leaders in Italy tomorrow in the latest bid by world powers to start a political process and elections.

The Government of National Accord in Tripoli and east Libyan commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar agreed at a May summit in Paris to hold national polls on December 10.

But acknowledging the chaotic situation since Muammar Qaddafi was deposed in 2011, the UN on Thursday conceded that elections would not be viable before spring.

Analysts say the summit tomorrow and Tuesday in the Sicilian capital of Palermo could be compromised by tension between Libyan factions and the agendas of foreign powers.

Libyan leaders invited are Field Marshal Haftar, Aguila Salah, Speaker for the rival government in Tobruk, Tripoli government Prime Minister Fayez Al Sarraj and Khaled Al Mechri, Speaker of the upper house in Tripoli.

Mr Al Sarraj on Thursday urged the international community to find a “common vision” for the future of Libya.

Tripoli said it would use the talks to lobby for security measures that unify the army, a constitutional electoral process, economic reforms and an end to the split government.

The US, Arab countries and European nations will send representatives to the talks.

For Rome’s populist government, a top priority is stemming the flow of migrants who use Libya to reach Europe, often through Italy.

UN envoy Ghassan Salame told the Security Council on Thursday that a national conference early next year would be organised to provide “a platform” for Libyans to spell out their visions for the future.

But a diplomatic dispute between Italy and France overshadows the summit.

In September, the Italian defence minister said France was partly responsible for Libya’s security crisis, which continues to simmer seven years after the Nato-backed uprising toppled Qaddafi.

The accusations came as Tripoli was plagued by militia clashes that killed at least 117 people between late August and late September.

Rome and Paris have for months been in dispute over Libya’s elections. France has said they should be held in December but Italy disagreed.

The two have “many interests in common” in Libya including energy, immigration and terrorism, said Federica Saini Fasanotti of the Brookings Institution in Washington DC. But they have “different ideas in how to reach their targets”, Ms Fasanotti said.

Italy has not been alone in pushing for elections to be delayed. The US and Russia also doubted December 10 polls.

“We support elections as soon as possible, but artificial deadlines would be counterproductive,” David Hale of the US State Department told the Middle East Institute in Washington on Thursday.

Libyan analyst Emad Badi said rivalry between Paris and Rome further polarised the political scene. The conference “certainly seems to be orchestrated as a counterweight to the French conference, rather than focusing on solving the Libyan deadlock”, Mr Badi said.

Claudia Gazzini, a Libya specialist for the International Crisis Group in Brussels said a solution required better co-ordination, and not just between France and Italy.

“What needs to happen is a joining hands also of Russian and US positions” with the UAE, Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, she said.

Diplomats say Russia, France, Egypt and the UAE support Field Marshal Haftar, while Turkey and Qatar have are behind rivals to the commander, especially militant groups.

“Forging a consensus at the current conjuncture is close to impossible,” Ms Gazzini said.

The summit may be compromised by tension between Libyan factions and the agendas of foreign powers