Joint Panel To Bring Russian, Libyan Lawmakers Closer Together - Mediator

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th December, 2018) A joint panel of lawmakers from Russia and Libya will serve as a bridge between the two legislatures, Lev Dengov, the head of the Russian contact group on Libyan peace, told Sputnik.

The pact to set up a standing cooperation committee was signed Thursday by lawmakers from the Russian State Duma and Libya's House of Representatives based in Tobruk.

"The agreement on the creation of a high-level joint committee by the Russian and Libyan parliaments will allow for cooperation between Russian officials and Libyan lawmakers, who pay a key role in the Libyan peace process," Dengov said.

He underscored the contribution that Russian legislators were making to ending seven years of war in the North African country, which has been split since the murder of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Libya is divided in two rival camps. A UN-backed government rules in the capital of Tripoli, while the eastern city of Tobruk is the seat of the parliament, led by Aguila Saleh.

The Libyan army does not recognize Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and regards Saleh as its commander-in-chief, the army spokesman, Ahmed Mismari, told Sputnik last month.