Libya’s rivals have begun a second round of talks on a mechanism to choose a transitional government that would lead the conflict-stricken country to elections in December next year, according to the United Nations.
UN acting envoy for Libya, Stephanie Williams, headed the online meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum on Monday, a week after the first round of the talks in Tunisia failed to name an executive authority.
The 75-member forum, however, reached an agreement to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on December 24, 2021. It also agreed to name a volunteer legal committee to work on the “constitutional basis for the election”.
The political forum was the latest effort to end the chaos that engulfed the oil-rich North African nation after the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The UN mission in Libya said last week it was investigating allegations of bribes paid to some participants in the forum to vote for certain names to be part of the transitional government.
The mission did not name anyone but promised to impose international sanctions on anyone obstructing the talks.
The forum took place amid a heavy international push to reach a peaceful settlement to Libya’s conflict. Previous diplomatic initiatives have all collapsed.
Libya is split between a UN-recognised government in the capital, Tripoli, and rival authorities based in the east.
The two sides are backed by an array of local militias, as well as regional and foreign powers.
The country’s warring sides agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire last month in Geneva, a deal that included the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya within three months.
No progress was announced on the issue of foreign forces and mercenaries a month after they signed the ceasefire deal.
Source: aljazeera.com
The post Libya rivals begin second round of talks on interim government appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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