MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2020) Fayez Sarraj, the head of the Tripoli-based internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), has called on the international community to send a peacekeeping mission under the auspices of the United Nations to ensure a ceasefire in Libya.
"If [Libyan National Army commander] Khalifa Haftar does not stop his offensive, the international community should take an active position and send international forces to protect Libyan civilians. Such forces should act under the UN mandate. Then experts should hold a discussion about who will participate, for example, the EU or the African Union, or the Arab League," Sarraj said in an interview with German newspaper Welt.
He criticized the lack of EU efforts in resolving the Libyan conflict, calling them "too insignificant."
"We expected the EU to strongly oppose Haftar's offensive and help to put an end to the Libyan crisis. The EU should be self-critical. The Europeans came too late," Sarraj added.
Sarraj and Haftar, as well as leaders and representatives of several other countries and intergovernmental organizations, gather for a high-level summit in Berlin later on Sunday to push for a UN-drafted agreement, which can become a step toward peace negotiations in war-torn Libya.
The Berlin conference follows the intra-Libyan talks in Moscow with the participation of representatives of Russia and Turkey. Haftar left Moscow without signing a ceasefire agreement with Sarraj's government, whose delegation signed the agreement, and then headed to Istanbul.
