Tripoli government to boycott Arab League Libya talks

Libya’s United Nations (UN) recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) will boycott Arab League talks on the conflict next week, i24 reports.

Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Taher Siala has told the bloc’s executive council that this planned meeting would “deepen the rift” between Arab governments on the issue.

The talks, which will be held during video conference due to coronavirus fears, was urgently requested by Egypt; an ally of warlord General Khalifa Haftar, who is based in Eastern Libya.

Siala claimed that there was no consultation with the GNA on the talks, and expressed concern that the video conference format of the planning meeting was an inappropriate forum for addressing the issues surrounding the brutal conflict.

READ: Turkey ready for fast reconstruction in conflict-torn Libya, official says

The GNA’s Turkish-backed forces recently defeated a year long offensive by Haftar’s army against Libya’s capital Tripoli.

Turkey and the GNA have rejected a “peace” initiative proposed by Egypt, which was backed by Haftar supporters Saudi, the UAE and Jordan, declaring it a ruse to allow Haftar’s forces to regroup.

Both countries have consistently demanded peace talks be supervised by the UN.

A conference was held in January in Germany’s capital city of Berlin to thrash out a deal, which calling for an end to foreign meddling and upholding a much-violated arms embargo. However, this initiative has been largely ignored, despite the UN urging nations respect the agreements.