RPT: REVIEW - Moscow Talks On Libya See Sarraj Signing Ceasefire Deal, Haftar Requests More Time

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2020) The head of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, and Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar traveled to the Russian capital on Monday for talks, mediated by Russia and Turkey, and discussed a draft ceasefire agreement, although Haftar requested an extra day before signing the deal that could bring an end to hostilities in Libya's civil war.

Libya has been engaged in the armed conflict since 2011 when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. Libya's east is now controlled by the LNA, while the GNA has been operating in the western part. The situation escalated over the past few months as the LNA launched a new offensive on GNA-held Tripoli, and most recently captured the coastal city of Sirte on January 6.

The path to Moscow began on Wednesday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on a common stance on the Libyan conflict and called for a comprehensive ceasefire in Libya to begin at midnight on January 12, and called for negotiations. Both sides to Libya's conflict accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreement on Sunday.

Talks began on Monday morning between Russia and Turkey's foreign and defense ministers in the so-called "2+2" format. Afterwards, representatives from Russia and Turkey met with the GNA and LNA delegations separately. Negotiations went on for more than six hours and were closed to the media.

Representatives from the LNA and GNA did not meet each other at the talks, according to Hamid al-Safi, the adviser to the speaker of Libya's eastern-based parliament that supports Haftar's LNA. The adviser stated that parliamentary speaker Aguila Saleh and Haftar met only with the Russian representatives, while al-Sarraj and Khaled al-Mishri, the head of the GNA High Council of State, met with both Turkish and Russian diplomats.

One of the Primary aims of the Moscow talks was for both the LNA and GNA to put pen to paper to enforce an unconditional ceasefire that came into effect at midnight on January 12. According to a draft of the document obtained by Sputnik, the seven-point agreement would also establish each side's respective territory in order to stabilize the situation and to ensure that citizens can conduct their daily business in Tripoli and other cities.

Other measures included in the draft agreement would compel both sides to allow the safe access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian aid, as well as designate representatives to participate in talks headed by Ghassan Salame, the UN envoy for Libya.

The deal also states that both the LNA and GNA would choose members for a "5+5 military commission" which would draw up the "line of battle contact between the opposing sides," monitor the ceasefire's implementation, and ensure the ceasefire's sustainability. The final two measures stipulate that both the LNA and GNA will hold further working groups and begin negotiations to seek a political settlement, solution of humanitarian issues and work toward the country's economic recovery.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking after talks were adjourned, indicated that the negotiations were successful, despite Haftar's wish for more time to examine the document.

"And this draft final document of today's meeting was examined in detail, it was the subject of quite serious talks. Today we can report that certain progress has been achieved," Lavrov remarked.

AL-SARRAJ SIGNS, HAFTAR HESITATES

According to the Russian foreign minister, the GNA representatives gave their support to the proposed agreement and signed the deal. The LNA's representatives, Haftar and Saleh, were unwilling to sign the agreement immediately in Moscow.

"[Fayez] al-Sarraj, Chairman of the National Unity Government of Libya, and Mr. [Khaled] al-Mishri, Chairman of the State Council, have just signed it.

Marshal Haftar, Commander of the Libyan National Army and President of the Chamber of Deputies in Tobruk, Mr. [Aguila] Saleh, viewed the document positively and asked for a little extra time until the morning of the following day to decide on its signing. I hope this decision will be positive," Lavrov said.

Turkish representatives at the Moscow talks also voiced their support for a ceasefire. Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding with the GNA on November 27, that was later ratified by the Turkish parliament, which stated that Turkish troops could be sent to Libya at the GNA's request. On December 30, the GNA requested Turkish military assistance, and six days later, Erdogan told the CNN Turk broadcaster that Turkish troops were leaving for Libya.

"If Haftar signs this document [on a ceasefire] tomorrow morning, then as a result of the initiative proposed by the two presidents, we will ensure that al-Sarraj and Haftar will assume the necessary obligations, the ceasefire regime will continue... we will begin the political process," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said after the conclusion of talks on Monday.

Cavusoglu also stated that Ankara would continue to cooperate with Moscow to speed up the political process, according to Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah.

After the conclusion of the Moscow talks, and the possibility that Haftar could put pen to paper on Tuesday, GNA and LNA representatives will head to the German capital of Berlin in preparation for a UN-led peace summit to be held on Sunday.

During a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that the United Nations would lead talks at any potential meeting in Berlin, and that she hoped that Monday's talks in Moscow would be successful.

Erdogan is also set to take part in the Berlin peace summit, after his administration announced that he would travel to Germany on Sunday.

"With my Italian counterpart, we discussed the situation in Libya today. We have a determination to take part in the Berlin summit at the end of the week. As you know, a ceasefire has entered into force in Libya. Today, our colleagues [Turkish foreign and defense ministers] are holding talks in Moscow to ensure a ceasefire in Libya," the Turkish president remarked on Monday at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart, Giuseppe Conte.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, also praised the Moscow talks, and hoped that they would be a positive step ahead of Sunday's summit in the German capital.

"We are obviously following the developments in Moscow and our hope... [is] that these are possible steps that will lead to the convening of the international conference on Libya in Berlin," Dujarric said at a press briefing.

Any potential of securing a step forward in resolving the ongoing Libyan conflict will rest on both sides willingness to observe the agreed-upon ceasefire. In Moscow, both Lavrov and Cavusoglu announced that they would take any necessary steps to assist the implementation of the ceasefire agreement, but the decision rests upon LNA and GNA forces.

On Sunday, the LNA Al-Karama Operations Room reported that its forces had shot down a Turkish military drone carrying mortar rounds, while the GNA accused Haftar's forces of violating the ceasefire at the Salah al-Din front line in Tripoli, Al Jazeera broadcaster reported, citing GNA military sources.

The international community has rallied together in support of any ceasefire that could bring respite to the ongoing hostilities in Libya's civil war. The first step to securing peace was completed in Moscow, and now attention will turn to Berlin, where international leaders will attempt to achieve further progress in the quest to end the ongoing conflict in the North African country.