Russia, Turkey Continuing Efforts To Ensure Immediate Ceasefire In Libya - Lavrov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2020) Russian and Turkey are maintaining continuous dialogue on ways to warrant an immediate ceasefire in the Libyan conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

"Within a dialogue initiated at the top level by the presidents of Russia and Turkey, we and our Turkish colleagues are carrying out � carried out and will continue to carry out � coordination of approaches that could make it possible to declare an immediate ceasefire and begin solving all other issues right away," Lavrov said at a press conference following talks with counterparts from the African Union troika, including Egypt, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the Russian foreign minister, Moscow has been maintaining contact with all parties to the Libyan power crisis, including the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez Sarraj, the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar, and the eastern-based House of Representatives and its head Aguila Saleh Issa.

"We are sending a clear signal that the first essential, non-alternative step is to declare a complete cessation of hostilities," Lavrov said.

The minister also voiced hope that Turkey, which is known to support the UN-backed GNA, "succeeds in achieving the only right solution in these circumstances."

Since the onset of Libya's political disarray in 2011, the oil-rich country got practically split into a duopoly. The internationally-recognized GNA has established itself as the power pole in the country's west with headquarters in the capital of Tripoli, while the rival LNA took control over the east with the center in Tobruk.

Following a failed offensive on Tripoli last year, the LNA forces attempted a rematch and the GNA launched a counteroffensive this past April. Despite numerous calls from international actors upon the warring parties to cease fire during the pandemic, armed confrontation has continued.