German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for work to resume on reaching a political settlement in Libya during talks with the head of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez Sarraj, the German government's Press and Information Office, said on Friday
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th June, 2020) German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for work to resume on reaching a political settlement in Libya during talks with the head of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez Sarraj, the German government's Press and Information Office, said on Friday.
"The chancellor welcomed the fact that the conflicting parties [in Libya] have agreed to resume ceasefire negotiations with the United Nations according to the agreements of the Libya Peace Conference in Berlin. Merkel emphasized the need for a concurrent revitalization of political negotiations and Germany is ready to support them," a government statement read.
Leaders from multiple countries and international organizations, including Russia, the United States, and the United Nations, met in Berlin for a conference to find solutions to the long-running conflict in the North African country.
After the conference, a joint communique was adopted in which countries said that they would refrain from assisting the warring parties and observe an arms embargo on Libya. Participants at the conference also gave their support to the creation of a 5+5 Joint Military Commission.
Clashes between the forces of the GNA and the rival Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar have intensified near the capital of Tripoli in recent days.
The GNA's forces recaptured Tripoli International Airport on Wednesday, amid an offensive to retake territory on the capital's outskirts that was being held by the LNA. Haftar later announced that he would keep his forces outside of the capital to expedite the resumption of UN-led talks within the 5+5 format.
