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Delegates from rival Libyan administrations met for talks in Morocco more than two weeks after the two sides announced a surprise ceasefire.
The meeting, held on Sunday at the initiative of Morocco, which hosted the 2015 peace talks that led to the creation of a United Nations-recognized government for Libya, kicked off in the coastal town of Bouznika, south of Rabat.
The talks, dubbed “Libyan Dialogue,” brought together five members of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and five from a parliament in the city of Tobruk, in eastern Libya.
The discussions were the prelude to a major meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, on Monday and Tuesday that brings together the leaders of rival Libyan groups.
Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, speaking before Sunday’s meeting began, said his country was offering Libyans “space” to discuss the points of contention that divided them.
“The kingdom is ready to give Libyans a space to discuss [issues], according to their will, and we will applaud them regardless of the outcome, “said Bourita.
“Morocco has no agenda or initiative to submit” to the two parties, added Bourita.
Libyans themselves must decide on a solution to the Libyan crisis under the auspices of the United Nations, he said, before delegates meet behind closed doors.
Rejected
Libya has endured some 10 years of violent chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The crisis worsened last year when renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar, who backs the Tobruk parliament and is supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia, launched an offensive to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the GNA.
Haftar was repulsed earlier this year by Turkish-backed GNA forces and fighting has now stalled in the Mediterranean city of Sirte, the gateway to eastern Libya’s oil fields and export terminals.
On August 22, rival administrations announced separately that they would cease all hostilities and hold elections at the national level, receiving praise from world powers.
Peter Millett, a former British ambassador to Libya, said the rival parties’ conversation was a good first step, but there is much work to be done to achieve lasting peace.
“First, it needs buy-in from a broader group of political actors: tribal leaders, society leaders, municipal leaders. Second, it needs buy-in from the military factions, in particular Haftar, and it has to be a cease fire, “Millett told Al Jazeera. “Third, it needs the acceptance of the entire international community.”
‘Foreign players’
Mohamed Chtatou, a professor to Mohammed V University in Rabat, he said Sunday’s talks were “historic in many ways” and likely touched potential appointees for future government and key positions, including head of the Central Bank of Libya, president of the National Petroleum Corporation and attorney general.
“This meeting is good for the reunification of Libya and to put the country back on its feet,” Chtatou told Al Jazeera. “I am sure that foreign actors are not happy with what is happening because they all have their interests in Libya. Libyans want peace and it is Libyans who are talking to Libyans, so that is very important.”
Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, said that just because Haftar is not represented at the meeting does not mean he is excluded.
“In fact, the delegation representing the Tobruk-based parliament is considered in one way or another the political arm of Haftar’s forces on the ground. Therefore, the Tobruk-based parliament, which is affiliated with the warlord Khalifa Haftar, now represents Haftar’s opinion at the meeting in Morocco, “he said.
Delegates from the two sides will also meet with other factions, including political parties and the remnants of the Gaddafi regime, for talks negotiated by the European Union and the UN mission (UNSMIL) in Switzerland starting Monday.
Sunday’s meeting in Morocco coincided with closed-door talks in Istanbul between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and GNA chief Fayez al-Sarraj, the Turkish presidency said.
During the meeting, Erdogan declared that Turkey “will continue to stand in solidarity with the legitimate government of Libya recognized by the UN, and reiterated that Turkey’s priority is to restore Libya’s stability, without further delay,” a statement said.
“Libya’s peace and stability would benefit its neighbors and the entire region, starting with Europe,” Erdogan said. “The international community must take a principled position in this regard.”
‘Complicated’ future settlement
At a January summit in Berlin, the main countries involved in the Libyan conflict agreed to abide by an arms embargo and stop interfering in Libya’s internal affairs.
But on Wednesday, the acting UN envoy for Libya, Stephanie Williams, denounced what she called “flagrant” ongoing violations of the arms embargo in the North African country.
According to an interim report by UN experts, “the arms embargo remains totally ineffective” and the violations are “extensive, blatant and in total disregard for sanctions.”
Williams said UNSMIL was also receiving reports of the “large-scale presence of foreign mercenaries and operatives” in Libya, adding that this complicates the chances of a future deal.
