UN: Libyan factions agree to hold fresh talks in Geneva

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Sunday 11 Jan 2015 - 12:50 Makkah mean time-20-3-1436 Tripoli (IINA) – The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced Saturday that Libyan rival factions agreed to hold a new round of peace talks in Geneva next week, aimed at reaching “common ground” to end the current political and security crisis in the strife-torn country. The primary objective of the meeting, which will be hosted by the UNSMIL at the UN Office in Geneva, will be to reach an agreement on the management of the remainder of the transitional period, including the formation of a unity government that enjoys wide support, and pave the way for a stable environment for the constitutional process in which a new permanent constitution can be adopted. In a press statement, UNSMIL noted that the discussions between the Libyan stakeholders will also seek to put in place the necessary security arrangements in order to bring an end to the armed hostilities raging in different parts of the country. The agreement to hold the next round of dialogue comes after wide-ranging and intensive consultations with the parties by UNSMIL chief Bernardino León over the past several weeks. To create a conducive environment for the dialogue, León has proposed to the parties involved in the conflict a “freeze” in military operations for a few days. The Mission urged the main stakeholders to approach the fresh talks with courage and determination and put the national interest above all other considerations in this critical juncture in the country's political transition, “abiding by the democratic principles of the 17th of February revolution that united the Libyan people and also united the international community in support of Libya.” AB/IINA