UN envoy: Libya’s truce promises to unlock peace talks

Bloomberg

The ceasefire announced by Libyan rivals may finally unlock stalled talks to end a civil war which had shut oil fields and drawn in foreign militaries, according to the United Nations envoy leading peace efforts.
Reciprocal calls to stop the fighting and resume oil production were welcomed by nations backing opposing sides in the conflict but there’s still work to be done, Stephanie Williams said in an interview.
That includes agreements on monitoring the truce, a demilitarised zone in the contested city of Sirte, and security arrangements in the eastern oil crescent, where much of Libya’s oil terminals and ports are controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
Previous attempts to build a sustained push for a diplomatic solution to Libya’s turmoil have foundered, prolonging insecurity which in the past allowed extremists and groups trafficking poor Africans towards Europe to thrive.
“It’s an important moment that should not be lost,” Williams said.
“I think this is the first time in quite a long time that we’ve seen readiness by two key leaders to really forge what I would say is a made-in-Libya solution,” she added, referring to Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and the rival head of the eastern-based parliament Aguileh Saleh.
“They were able to come to a consensus over some fundamental issues that start to break the deadlock and pave the way for the resumption of a serious inclusive political process,” Williams said.
Haftar, who has an uneasy alliance with Saleh, had previously offered a ceasefire in June and remains committed to it, his spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said.
But in a sign of the lack of trust mediators will have to overcome, al-Mismari cast doubt on whether the Turkish-backed government really intended to call off an attack on Sirte.
Williams said last week’s calls showed there was a constituency that wanted peace in a country riven by conflict since a 2011 NATO-backed revolt overthrew leader Moammar al-Qaddafi. International reactions have been “quite positive.