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Official: Russia in contact with all sides in Libya

July 7, 2020 at 1:48 pm

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin in Germany on 17 February 2019 [CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP/Getty Images]

Russia is in contact with all parties to the Libyan conflict as the situation in the country is complicated, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said yesterday.

Moscow engages in dialogue with all Libyan factions and encourages reaching a settlement that is acceptable to both sides, he added.

The top diplomat also said that his country believes in the importance of increasing the efficiency of the United Nations and its role in the conflict. He noted that the UN Support Mission in Libya currently has no head and the deputy head of the mission is leading it on a temporary basis.

Russia backs Libya’s eastern-based, self-styled General Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have recently been forced to retreat from Tripoli after a year-long offensive on the Libyan capital and the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

READ: Turkey dismisses Egypt ceasefire initiative in Libya