Libya’s rival governments meet in Egypt for talks on elections 

Representatives of Libya’s two rival governments began talks in Egypt yesterday aimed at reaching an agreement on holding national elections, the United Nations Mission in Libya said, Reuters reported.

Twelve lawmakers from Libya’s east-based parliament and 12 from the High Council of State, an advisory body in the capital of Tripoli, in western Libya, are taking part, according to parliamentary spokesman, Abdullah Bliheg.

Libya has had two competing governments since March when the eastern-based parliament appointed Fathi Bashagha to replace the Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, renewing a standoff between the east and west of the country.

Dbeibah, who was chosen as interim prime minister a year ago in UN-backed talks,refuses to hand over power except to a government that comes through a new elected parliament as per the UN plan.

Speaking at the opening session of the talks in Cairo, UN Libya adviser Stephanie Williams said: “The ultimate solution to the issues that continue to plague Libya is through elections, held on a solid constitutional basis and electoral framework that provides the guard rails for an electoral process.”

The presidential vote was originally planned for 24 December, but was postponed following disputes between rival factions on laws governing the elections and controversial presidential candidates.

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