Official: UAE embassy in Moscow obstructed ceasefire agreement in Libya

Chairman of the Libyan High Council of State, Khaled Al-Mishri, announced on Wednesday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s embassy in Moscow has obstructed the reaching of a ceasefire agreement in Libya.

Al-Mishri informed reporters in the Libyan capital of Tripoli that: “A Gulf country was present in the ceasefire negotiations in the (Russian) capital Moscow among Haftar’s delegation, including the charge d’affaires of the UAE embassy in Russia, who was one of the reasons for obstructing the signing of a ceasefire agreement in Libya.”

“The Russian proposal for a ceasefire was written in a format to satisfy the aggressor,” the Libyan official added, with reference to the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by General Khalifa Haftar.

On Monday, the Libyan warring parties met in Moscow for indirect peace talks mediated by Russia and Turkey, but failed to agree on signing an open-ended ceasefire deal ending the LNA’s aggression on the capital, Tripoli.

READ: Haftar takes Sirte, threatens Misrata, but wants Tripoli 

Moscow announced that both the president of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, and chairman of the Libyan High Council of State, Al-Mishri, signed the ceasefire deal, while Haftar and his delegation asked for two more days before signing.

Al-Mishri explained that the draft agenda of the Berlin conference on Libya, scheduled for 19 January, includes action in three areas: political, economic and security.

“The National Accord government has been asked to nominate five officers to unify the military establishment,” Al-Mishri affirmed, explaining that a broad meeting will be held with representatives of local municipalities, official bodies and lawmakers, to brief them on the recent developments.