Libya faction leaders fail to make a deal in Moscow talks

moscow — Talks in Moscow about bringing an end to Libya’s longrunning civil war failed to reach a solution on Monday and have been adjourned for the night.

At the meeting, Libya’s rival governments considered a draft document spelling out details of a truce proposed jointly by Russia and Turkey that began on Sunday.

Fayez Sarraj, the head of Libya’s UN-recognised government in Tripoli, and his rival Khalifa Haftar met top diplomats and military officials from Russia and Turkey for the talks that lasted about seven hours. The negotiations were held behind closed doors, and Sarraj and Hafter didn’t meet directly.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Sarraj signed the draft agreement, while Hafter requested more time to consider it. “They have a positive view

Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Minister

of the document and asked for extra time until the next morning to decide,” Lavrov said of Haftar and his delegation. “I hope they will make a positive decision. Russian and Turkish representatives will continue to offer their assistance.”

The truce brokered by Russia and Turkey marked the first break in fighting in months. There were immediate reports of violations by both sides, however, raising concerns it might not hold.

The civil war had been on the brink of a major escalation. Russia has maintained contacts with both conflicting parties in Libya.

Asked on Saturday about Russian private security companies in Libya, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded that “if there are Russian citizens there, they do not represent the interests of the Russian state and do not receive any money from the Russian state.”

Putin noted that mercenaries were sent to Libya from Syria’s rebel-held province of Idlib alongside Turkey’s border, voicing hope that a lasting truce will help end the deployment of foreign fighters to Libya. —

They have a positive view of the document and asked for extra time until the next morning to decide. I hope they will make a positive decision. Russian and Turkish representatives will continue to offer their assistance