The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) is currently considering talks on a ceasefire or peace negotiations with its rival, the Libyan National Army (LNA), "a waste of time," as the political process was suspended amid the spread of COVID-19, Mohammed Al-Qablawi, the spokesman to the GNA's Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik on Tuesday
TRIPOLI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2020) The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) is currently considering talks on a ceasefire or peace negotiations with its rival, the Libyan National Army (LNA), "a waste of time," as the political process was suspended amid the spread of COVID-19, Mohammed Al-Qablawi, the spokesman to the GNA's Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"[Amid the current situation], talks on negotiations [between the warring parties] or a truce is a waste of time," the official said.
Al-Qablawi added that the political process aimed to settle the Libyan crisis was suspended due to the pandemic, especially since the LNA refused to follow up ceasefire calls amid the outbreak.
"There is no doubt that the coronavirus crisis and the spread [of the disease] in many of the countries worldwide have a negative impact on all of the political steps and meetings related to the Libyan crisis," the spokesman said.
According to Al-Qablawi, all of the committees formed after the Berlin Conference on the Libyan issue have stopped working due to the coronavirus-related difficulties.
The spokesman also stressed that the GNA has been in contact with the UN's acting special representative to Libya, Stephanie Williams, but the authorities have not relied too much on the mission of the United Nations due to "disputes between the [UN] Security Council and the G20 alliance."
On January 19, Berlin hosted an international conference on Libya with the participation of Russia, the United States, Turkey, Egypt and several other countries, as well as the European Union and the United Nations. The main outcome of the conference was an appeal by its participants for a ceasefire, and an obligation to refrain from interfering in the conflict and to observe the UN arms embargo on Libya.
The country is currently torn between the two main centers of power an elected parliament in the country's east, supported by the LNA, and the GNA in the country's west.
