A meeting in Moscow about calm, Al-Sarraj calls on Libyans to turn the page on the past and confirm that the finger is the trigger

Libyan National Accord Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj called on Libyans to "turn the page of the past", as he prepares to go to Moscow to sign a ceasefire agreement with retired Major General Khalifa Hifter.

"I call on all Libyans to turn the page on the past, renounce division, and close ranks to move towards peace and stability," Al-Sarraj said in a televised speech.

Al-Sarraj added, "Never think that we will excessively sacrifice our sons and the blood of our martyrs, or sell us the dream of walking towards a civil state."

He pointed out that his government's acceptance of the ceasefire comes from a position of strength in order to preserve the national cohesion and the social fabric of Libya, stressing at the same time Tripoli's military readiness to defeat "the aggressor in the event of any breaches of this agreement."

Al-Sarraj pointed out that the cease-fire is only a first step in "dispelling the illusions of those who aspire to power with the power of arms and dreamers of the return of tyranny, and that the political path that we will undertake will be a continuation of the great sacrifices that were made in the way of establishing the state we dream of."

Meet Moscow
This coincided with the announcement of a senior Libyan official that the President of the Libyan National Accord Government, Fayez al-Sarraj, and Haftar, are expected to arrive in Moscow on Monday to sign a ceasefire agreement.

Khaled al-Mashri, the head of the State Council (which equals an upper house) in Tripoli, told "Libya's Liberal" television that the signing of this agreement would pave the way for the revival of the political process.

Al-Mashri indicated that he will accompany Al-Sarraj to Moscow, while the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament will accompany Aqila Saleh, retired Major General Haftar.

Al-Mashri said that the Moscow agreement provides for the presence of "forces to monitor" the ceasefire, without specifying the nature or nationality of these forces.

In the same context, Russian news agencies quoted the head of the Russian contact group on Libya Lev Dingov as saying that "Al-Sarraj arrives soon to Moscow (for) talks that will focus on the future settlement in Libya, including the possibility of signing a truce agreement and the details of this document."

He added that he had no knowledge of a direct meeting between Haftar and al-Sarraj.

Dingov indicated that both Haftar and Al-Sarraj will meet "separately with Russian officials and with representatives of the Turkish delegation cooperating with Russia on this file," noting that officials from Egypt and the UAE will also likely be present as observers to the talks.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoوlu and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar are also expected to arrive in Moscow on Monday.

"Fragile agreement"
A ceasefire in Libya - described as fragile - came into effect on Sunday after months of fighting at the gates of Tripoli, following an initiative from Ankara and Moscow and intense diplomatic talks imposed by fear of additional internationalization of the conflict.

The ceasefire in Libya, which Turkey and Russia called for, calmed violent fighting and air strikes on Sunday, but the warring factions accused each other of violating the armistice, amid continuing skirmishes around the capital, Tripoli.

And at a time when Europe fears that Libya will turn into a "second Syria", German Chancellor Angela Merkel met in Moscow on Saturday.

Merkel welcomed the Russian-Turkish efforts, hoping that "invitations to a United Nations-sponsored conference in Berlin" would soon be sent.

On Saturday evening, the Russian and Turkish Presidents expressed, in a telephone call, their "desire to provide assistance at all levels, which would advance the path of a political solution" in Libya, according to the Kremlin.