• Libya, Di Maio: solution only with Tunis-Algiers involvement
  • Ankara, Conte-Erdogan meeting: "We work for truce in Libya and lasting results"
  • Libya: fragile truce, diplomacy at work. Serraj flies to Erdogan
  • Libya, Haftar forces announce a truce. Conte meets al Sarraj
  • Libya, Haftar rejects ceasefire request. Spokesman: "Tripoli militias must be wiped out"
  • Libya, Haftar bombards Mitiga airport. Tripoli awaits the truce negotiated by Russia and Turkey
  • Libya, fragile truce: al-Sarraj and Haftar go to Moscow

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January 14, 2020 Marshal Khalifa Haftar has left Moscow without signing the ceasefire agreement with the government of national agreement (GNA) led by Fayezal-Sarraj. RIA Novosti reports it, citing one of its sources. Haftar said, according to Al Arabiya, that the proposed document ignores many requests from the Libyan national army.



Cavusoglu: "Al-Sarraj signed agreement but Haftar not"
The prime minister of the Libyan national accord government, Fayez al-Sarraj, yesterday signed the agreement for a ceasefire in Libya. This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a press conference in Moscow. General Khalifa Haftar, head of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, has instead decided not to sign immediately but has asked for time until this morning to decide on it. Among the issues under discussion were the stop to send Turkish troops to Libya, a ceasefire under the supervision of Russia and the United Nations, the withdrawal of the mutual militias in the barracks and a political solution.

Haftar forces refuse Turkey supervision
General Khalifa Haftar's self-proclaimed Libyan National Army '' rejects any Turkish presence in the truce monitoring operations ''. This is revealed by Sky News Arabiya,
arguing that '' there is a great divergence between the Libyan parties on the role of Turkey ''.

Tripoli: balanced agreement, Haftar does not accept it
"The document developed by Russia and Turkey" on the truce in Libya "is good and balanced and we have signed it. But Haftar does not accept the text" because he does not want to withdraw the troops. The Libyan ambassador to the EU Hafed Gaddur, who is part of the delegation of the Libyan premier Sarraj in Moscow, tells Ansa. "Now Haftar has taken until tomorrow morning: if he does not sign the whole world, he will know who does not want peace in Libya," Gaddur adds explaining that the Tripoli delegation is leaving Moscow.

The document, Gaddur confirmed, was signed by Fayez al-Sarraj and the president of the high council of state, Khaled al-Mishri. While Haftar and the president of parliament moved to Tobruk, Agila Saleh, they asked for time until tomorrow morning and therefore remained in Moscow.

Media: there is a truce in the agreement without preconditions
In the draft agreement on the truce in Libya, the parties undertake to respect the ceasefire regime "without preconditions". Ria Novosti reports it.

Lavrov: Sarraj signed the agreement
"Sarraj signed the agreement" on the truce in Libya, "while Haftar asked for time until Tuesday morning". This was announced by Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov. "I hope Marshal Haftar decides to sign the document," Lavrov said at the end of the press statements in which he illustrated the conclusion of the "intense" day of negotiations in Moscow. The draft of the agreement negotiated today in Moscow provides for the creation of "working groups on the solution of the situation" in Libya and the first meeting could take place "as early as January". Ria Novosti reports that he says he saw the document. The working groups would serve to elaborate "the conditions for the political solution of the Libyan conflict and for the solution of humanitarian problems and the economic reconstruction of the country".

Nothing face to face al-Sarraj and Haftar
The face to face jumped between al-Sarraj and Haftar. According to reports to Al Arabiya by the head of the High Council of State, Khaled al Mishri, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Agreement (GNA) of Tripoli has refused the direct conversation with the strongman of Cyrenaica and who agrees to negotiate only with "Russians and Turks".

The ceasefire agreement in Libya requires General Khalifa Haftar's Libyan army (LNA) to be responsible for protecting the country's oil wells and natural gas resources. It is one of the points of the agreement and reportedly the agreement also provides for an international supervision of Libyan ports.

The ceasefire in Libya, wanted by Russia and Turkey, entered into force at midnight on Sunday, with the approval of the European Union, the United States, the United Nations and the Arab League.

In recent days Ankara has sent its soldiers to defend the government of al-Sarraj, and supports it politically. A few hours after the ceasefire began, al-Sarraj was already in Istanbul where he met Turkish President Erdogan. Russia instead supports Haftar's troops with weapons and mercenaries, together with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Libyan National Army forces loyal to General Haftar launched an offensive on the capital in April 2019 but were unable to conquer the city. Last week, however, they took the country's third largest city, Sirte.

An appeal to "turn the page over the past" was launched to the Libyans by the head of the government of national agreement al-Sarraj. In a message broadcast on TV, Sarraj asked to "reject discord and close ranks to move towards stability and peace".

Haftar army does not withdraw: "No step back"
Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) has no intention of withdrawing from the suburbs of Tripoli, the first line of the offensive launched last April and relaunched in December against the National Agreement Government (GNA) which is based in the capital. This was reported by Sky News Arabia and Al Arabiya. "The army is in its positions in Tripoli and is not taking any steps backwards," the LNA says.

The role of Italy
The ceasefire in Libya, albeit fragile, opens new spaces for diplomacy. So Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte intensifies talks and contacts: Call Vladimir Putin, hear Angela Merkel, talk to Fayez Sarraj, met at Palazzo Chigi. The aim is to ensure that at the Berlin conference, expected at the end of the month, Italy is not excluded from the table, but can save at least part of the role it has played in Libya until recently. Yesterday the prime minister also went to Ankara , with Erdogan saying: "We work for the truce in Libya and a lasting result", Conte added: "The ceasefire can be a very precarious measure if not included in an effort by the international community to guarantee stability in Libya. Then Conte went to Egypt, where he will meet Al Sisi today. Foreign Minister Di Maio went to Tunisia . Here too there was talk of Libya. For the owner of the Farnesina "the solution will only exist with Tunis and Algiers involved.

Macron: both lasting and verifiable truce
French President Emmanuel Macron wants the ceasefire in Libya to be "credible, lasting and verifiable". Macron said this in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al Sarraj and his rival, General Khalifa Haftar, will meet today in Moscow to sign the ceasefire. The Elysée reported in a statement.

Germany: conference in Berlin on 19 January
It should be held on January 19, according to what Germany has unofficially communicated to the participating countries, including Italy. Rome, through Foreign Minister Di Maio, had repeatedly urged the Germans, including at European level, to indicate a date for the summit as soon as possible. The Turkish presidency has made it known that Turkish President Erdogan is planning a trip to Berlin on that date, but has not provided any further details.

EU sources: mission not excluded, but it is too early
A European peacekeeping mission in Libya "is not to be excluded", but "for the moment" is not realistic ", because it is" too early ". The next step" must be new positive progress in the Berlin process ", for this reason European Council President Charles Michel and Chancellor Angela Merkel, with the UN, "are trying to convince leaders who have an influence in the region" to sit down at the table. So European sources of Michel's entourage, on the hypothesis advanced in recent days by Di Maio.

Even an "EU special envoy to Libya" for the moment is a topic that has not been discussed at the top of the EU, but "cannot be excluded". However, the focus at this stage is entirely on the Berlin process, with the meetings of the last few days between Merkel and Putin, and those of Michel with Erdogan and Al Sisi. "It is necessary to create momentum" to avoid new escalations and to give a "political context", to draw "a perspective". And also about this the President of the European Council will speak tonight in a meeting with United Nations Secretary Antonio Guterres.

Trump-Merkel talk on security
United States President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a talk on the crisis in Libya and on the security situation in the Middle East. White House spokesman Judd Deere said so, explaining that "bilateral issues" were also addressed in the interview. Already last week the two leaders had had a talk on the "tense situation in Iraq and Iran".