Participants in the Libyan Dialogue Forum, which began on Monday in Tunis, agreed to launch a political process called "the preparatory stage for a comprehensive solution," while military leaders in the Government of National Accord condemned the participation of figures in the dialogue, who accused it of fueling the armed conflict between Libyans.

Under the slogan "Libya first", a round of direct negotiations between the parties to the conflict began in Tunisia on Monday morning, with the participation of 75 Libyan personalities, under the auspices of the United Nations, amid aspirations to establish a radical solution to the crisis.

The agreement stipulated the preservation of the sovereignty of the Libyan state and the commitment of the parties to the conflict not to depend on the Libyan decision and the country's capabilities to any external power, and to unify the state's military and civil institutions.

Regarding political authority, the document stipulates that it consists of the Presidential Council, in which the three regions of the country are represented equally, and the Government of National Unity, provided that the two bodies are simultaneously elected by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.

The document indicated that the preliminary stage for a comprehensive solution begins with granting confidence to the next government, provided it does not exceed 18 months, and ends with presidential and parliamentary elections.

Military condemnation


On the other hand, military leaders and fighters from the Libyan National Accord Government forces condemned the dialogue sessions held in Tunisia, due to the participation of personalities in the dialogue who accused them of fueling armed conflict between Libyans, and being involved in committing war crimes during the wars in the country.

In a statement they issued in Tripoli during a protest today, the leaders and fighters participating in the pause declared that they would not reject dialogue between the Libyans, but said that the current dialogue sessions in Tunisia do not represent the forces, fighters and leaders of the Borkan Anger operation.

The protesters accused the UN mission in Libya of seeking to enable loyalists of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar to occupy high positions in the Presidential Council and the government, which the mission seeks to form at the end of the dialogue sessions.

They described the United Nations mission in Libya that it had deviated from the mandate entrusted to it, and turned into a mission to exercise guardianship over the Libyans and rule Libya on their behalf.

Welcoming the UN


In turn, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, called on the international community to lend its strong support to the Libyan political dialogue.

In a recorded television message, Guterres urged the international community to ensure full compliance with the arms embargo imposed on Libya by the Security Council, since March 2011.

Speaking to the participants in the dialogue forum, Guterres said, "You gathered today to continue shaping a new era of peace and stability in Libya."

He added that compromise is the only approach that paves the way for national unity, and that the future of Libya and its people is greater than any partisan or individual differences, and the future of Libya is now in your hands.

He stressed that the Libyan parties' signing of the ceasefire agreement in Geneva last month is an essential step forward.

For years, Libya, a neighbor of Tunisia, has been suffering from an armed conflict, and the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar, with the support of Arab and Western countries, have fought the internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord over legitimacy and authority in the oil-rich country.

Talks in Sirte


On the other hand, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya said in a statement that the Libyan Joint Military Committee will hold the sixth round of talks between Tuesday and Friday, at the permanent headquarters of the Commission in Sirte.

The statement expected that the participants in this round would complete the mechanisms of implementing the permanent ceasefire agreement, and complete the formation of the specialized sub-committees.

The military committee had agreed in the Ghadames talks to form a military sub-committee to supervise the return of the forces to their headquarters and the withdrawal of mercenaries from the contact lines, as well as the measure of monitoring the ceasefire with the participation of international observers.