PALERMO, Italy: Libya’s main rival leaders met on Tuesday on the sidelines of an international summit in Italy, but it was unclear whether the event would bring about any real change in the conflict-stricken North African nation.
General Khalifa Haftar, whose self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) controls eastern Libya, sat down with Fayez Serraj, head of a UN-backed government in Tripoli, as well as UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el Sisi. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Tunisian President Bejd Caid Essebsi, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Algerian Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and EU Council President Donald Tusk were also present.
According to a diplomat who asked not to be named, Tuesday’s talks resulted in Haftar accepting that Serraj can keep his position until long-delayed elections, which according to current UN plans should take place sometime in 2019.
“If that is confirmed, that would be something,” Claudia Gazzini, a Libya analyst at the International Crisis Group, said. “However, we would have to see what Haftar obtained in return: perhaps funding from Tripoli for his Libyan National Army,” she added.
Otherwise, the summit risks producing only “a vague statement of support for the work of the UN envoy. Unless it produces agreements on specific issues, I don’t expect a game-changing event,” Gazzini said.
Stalled security and economic reforms on critical issues like creating a national army and regular police forces to replace militias were on the agenda in Palermo, as well as ending an east-west divide between two parallel central banks.
Italy organised a two-day conference in the Sicilian capital, inviting about 30 countries. But Haftar refused to fully take part in it. “General Commander Marshal #Haftar arrived in #Italy yesterday (Monday) in order to hold a series of meetings with the heads of neighbouring countries. He is not there to attend #Palermo conference,” a spokesman for the LNA tweeted.
Haftar’s presence was in doubt until the 11th hour. He finally showed up in Palermo late on Monday, but deserted the opening event of the summit, a working dinner. On Tuesday, he skipped the group photo which preceded a final plenary session, and went home early.
Turkey, which supports the UN-backed administration in Libya, stormed out of the event for not being included in the talks with Haftar.
Italy is trying to reclaim diplomatic leadership in Libya, a former colony, from France. Paris hosted another summit in May. — dpa
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