Rome conference seeks final deal to save Libya * Hardliners resist proposed UN unity government * Sanctions, foreign aid possible after new deal * West wants to stop Islamic State spread in Libya (Changes dateline, previous ALGIERS, recasts to show Rome conference started, adds senior State Department official comment, Kerry arrival in Rome) By Lesley Wroughton and Steve Scherer ROME Dec 13 (Reuters) – The United States and Italy on Sunday led an global diplomatic push to get Libya’s warring factions to sign a deal to form a unity government, hoping it will stop the spread of Islamic State militancy in the North African country.
Advertisement
This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Mr Kerry is co-chairing the Rome talks with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni. It is important to have “critical mass” because this agreement needs legitimacy, he said.
“What matters is the stablisation of Libya”, Mr Gentiloni said.
Mr. Kobler stressed that the meeting in Tunis revealed that the Libyans expect support from the Security Council and from the wider global community, and he emphasized that this support is indispensable to help them to forge “peace through unity”.
The move to lend support to Libya to help it fix its frayed government comes at a time when there is growing global concern about Islamic State’s presence in the country.
Libya is run by two main rival factions.
If the deal sticks, it would enable Libya to better govern itself and to fight the Islamic State fighters that have seized territory around Kadhafi’s hometown Sirte.
FILE – Tunisian lifeguards and medics transport a covered body in the resort town of Sousse, a popular tourist destination 140 kilometers (90 miles) south of the Tunisian capital, June 26, 2015.
If both sides follow through with their commitment to sign the U.N.-backed agreement on December 16, work would then begin on establishing a Cabinet and other key positions that would be part of a unity government based in Tripoli.
Libya slid into chaos following the toppling and killing of dictator Muammar Qadafi.
Additionally, Mr. Kobler said the participants of the political dialogue, numbering up to 40 men and women, chose to publicly announce 16 December as a target date for their signature and lastly, they had unanimously called on all political and security actors to create a conducive environment to enable a future Government of National Accord to assume its responsibilities in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, without threat or intimidation.
Since 2014, Libya is divided between two administrations, the internationally recognized House of Representatives (HoR) based in the eastern city of Tobruk and the the General National Congress (GNC) based in Tripoli, in western Libya.
Advertisement
Rival groups have agreed to discussing signing a United Nations-backed national unity agreement next week, but hard liners are casting doubt on whether this can really happen. He described the convergence among the 17 participating countries, and other participants, as “perhaps unprecedented” and said the Rome talks could turn out to be “a turning point for Libya”.
