“A sufficiently detailed document has been agreed”: how did the conference on Libya in Berlin go

The participants in the conference on the settlement in Libya in Berlin agreed not to interfere in the internal affairs of this state.

“We are committed to non-interference in the armed conflict or internal affairs of Libya, we urge all international actors to do the same,” RIA Novosti quotes an extract from the communiqué adopted at the end of the meeting.

The meeting was attended by Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, UN Secretary General Anthonyu Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Lakereyen, USA Mike Pompeo and other top officials.

The leaders recognized the central role of the UN in advancing the intra-Libyan settlement and expressed support for the UN Support Mission in Libya.

“We reaffirm our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya. Only a Libyan-led political process can end the conflict and bring a stable peace, ”the document says.

The communiqué also indicated that peace and security in Libya are threatened by factors such as external interference, general instability in the country and splits in government institutions, the proliferation of weapons and a “predatory” economy. The activity of a number of banned armed groups has led to a surge in migration and a worsening humanitarian situation in Libya, the statement said.

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“We are committed to helping Libyans combat these structural problems in public administration and security,” the final document reads.

In addition to this, the signatories also expressed support for the arms embargo on Libya and called on all actors not to take actions that run counter to this measure. In addition, they called for an end to the movement of military equipment and troops throughout the country and stated the need to guarantee the safety of Libyan oil facilities.

“The National Oil Corporation is the only independent and legitimate oil company in Libya in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions 2259 and 2441. We urge all parties to guarantee the safety of its facilities and to refrain from any hostile actions in relation to the oil infrastructure, ”a fragment of the final TASS communiqué quotes.

In addition, the participants in the meeting called for the formation of a single and effective Libyan government and the resumption of peace negotiations to complete the transition period.

“We urge all Libyan parties to resume the Libyan-led political process under the auspices of the UN mission to support Libya (UNSMIL), engaging in it constructively, paving the way for the end of the transition period through free, fair, inclusive and credible parliamentary and presidential elections,” reads the communiqué .

Separately present at the conference, leaders mentioned the need to create a unified army, police and security forces in Libya, which would be controlled by civilian authorities.

"Ultimately, the Libyans themselves decide"

According to the results of the conference, acting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the event was useful, but differences remain between the parties to the intra-Libyan conflict.

“In general, we find the conference very useful. It is clear that it is up to the Libyans themselves to decide. It’s clear that a stable, serious dialogue between them has not yet been achieved, the differences in approaches are too great, ”he said.

According to him, the plans drawn up in the final communique “replenish the piggy bank of ideas” aimed at ensuring that the Libyan parties can agree on conditions and sit down at the negotiating table.

Lavrov noted that a “fairly detailed document” had been agreed that contained recommendations and suggestions on how to overcome the current Libyan crisis.

According to Lavrov, the final document will be sent to the UN Security Council, where the document will be studied and evaluated.

“President Putin outlined our position and emphasized that, when considering these recommendations, which were approved in Berlin, at the UN Security Council, we, of course, will take into account the opinion of the Libyans,” he said. Russian Foreign Minister.

Lavrov also pointed out that during the meeting, the Libyan parties agreed to delegate five representatives each to a military committee created at the initiative of the United Nations, within the framework of which all issues related to ensuring a truce will be considered.

He noted that everything that everything that was included in the plan of specific recommendations should subsequently be approved by the Libyan parties.

As Lavrov emphasized, the leaders of two opposing centers of power in Libya were invited to the Berlin conference at the insistence of Russia - the head of the Government of National Accord (PNS) Fayez Sarraj and the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

At the same time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Sarraj and Haftar did not take an active part in the main events of the conference because of the remaining contradictions.

“The differences between them are so great that they are not talking to each other right now. They were not part of the conference, but they were present in Berlin, although they were in different rooms, ”TASS Chancellor quotes.

Merkel added that she had two separate meetings with both representatives of Libya and found out that "one expects from the other that he will observe everything."

Speaking about the outcome of the event, the Chancellor expressed the hope that the conference will give a chance to continue the truce in Libya.

In turn, UN Secretary General António Guterres said that in the coming days a military committee will be convened in Geneva for a settlement in Libya.

Also present at the conference, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the meeting on Libya in Berlin was productive.

“Today in Berlin, a productive dialogue took place with my colleagues, focusing on finding a political solution in Libya. We support the people of Libya in their work to build a successful future free of violence and foreign interference, ”Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

The meeting of Putin and Erdogan

Note that before the conference, a bilateral meeting of the heads of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, took place. During this conversation, the Russian president noted that the truce in Libya is a good result of the work of the two leaders.

“In my opinion, you and I took a very good step during the meeting in Istanbul, called on the Libyan parties to cease fire, to cease hostilities, and despite the fact that certain incidents still occur, nevertheless both sides listened to our I’m calling, and large-scale hostilities have ceased, ”Putin told Erdogan.

The Russian leader also expressed support for Angela Merkel's Libyan settlement initiative. According to the president, the situation in this country worries "both the Libyan side" and "the leaders of countries that are close to this region."

“This certainly worries the whole of Europe, because through the Libyan gates wide open after the assassination of Gaddafi, a flood of refugees poured into Europe from the Middle East and from Africa,” the Russian leader said.

• Vladimir Putin meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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Conflict in Libya

The aggravation of the situation in Libya began in 2011 against the backdrop of a confrontation between the legitimate government of Muammar Gaddafi and the Transitional National Council, supported by the United States and Washington's allies.

The conflict led to intervention by NATO states, followed by a series of military operations that contributed to the capture of almost the entire territory of the country by opponents of Gaddafi. The colonel himself, who de facto ruled the country since 1969, was killed.

Following these events, the authorities in Libya began to represent two conflicting centers. One of them is the Government of National Accord (PNC), led by Faiz Saraj, recognized by the international community. The second is the interim cabinet of Abdullah Abdurrahman at-Thani, on the side of which General Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army stand.

In April 2019, the military leader launched an offensive on the capital of Libya - Tripoli. This city is home to a government of national consensus opposed to Haftaru.

At the end of December 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved a memorandum on military cooperation between Ankara and the Libyan PNS.

The preceding agreement was approved at the end of November. In the framework of the agreement, it is envisaged, in particular, the education and training of military personnel, strengthening relations between the military of the two countries.

Immediately after Erdogan’s approval of the memorandum, the PNS officially requested military assistance from Turkey. In early January, the Turkish parliament allowed troops to be sent to Libya.

In turn, Russia has repeatedly called for an end to the conflict in Libya. As Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov put it in April 2019, “the protracted crisis in Libya is a direct result of NATO’s illegitimate military intervention.”

In early January, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks and called on the Libyan National Army and the Government of National Accord to establish a ceasefire at midnight on January 12. The warring parties later announced the cessation of hostilities, warning of a reaction in case of violation of silence.

After the entry into force of the ceasefire regime, the leaders of the LNA and PNS - Haftar and Sarraj - arrived in Moscow for negotiations. The agreement following the meeting was not signed by all parties - the document was supported by the chairman of the Libyan State Council Khaled Mishri and the head of the PNS Sarraj. Haftar left Moscow without signing an agreement.

As Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later said, there is nothing dramatic about this.

“We are not dramatizing this situation, this has already happened in the past,” said the Foreign Minister, speaking at the Ricein Dialogue conference in New Delhi. The Minister indicated that Moscow views the meeting as a contribution to the Berlin conference on Libya.

Note that amid the January events in Libya, oil shipment stopped. The order to block the ports was made by the commander of the LNA Haftar. Earlier this was called upon by Libyan tribes and public organizations, which saw in the blockade of oil terminals a protest against the actions of the government of national consent, sitting in Tripoli.

Libyan national oil company declared a state of emergency and said that stopping the shipment of oil would lead to loss of its production in the amount of 800 thousand barrels per day. The organization estimated financial losses at $ 55 million per day.