No Libya solution reached in Moscow, efforts to be continued: Russian FM

Source: Xinhua| 2020-01-14 18:47:54|Editor: ZX
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MOSCOW, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Intra-Libyan talks mediated by Russia and Turkey reached no settlement on Monday, though efforts to reach a deal will be continued, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday.

"We will continue efforts in this direction. So far, the final result has not been achieved," Lavrov said during a news conference broadcast directly from Colombo by the Russian Foreign Ministry, following talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Dinesh Gunawardena.

Earlier this month, the leaders of Turkey and Russia put forth a Libya ceasefire initiative, which the conflicting parties accepted while also agreeing to hold talks in Moscow.

The hours-long talks ended late Monday without a ceasefire agreement being signed by both sides.

Lavrov said the head of the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Serraj, and its foreign minister Mohamed Taher Siala signed the draft, but Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, asked for an extra day and left Moscow without signing it.

Russia is working to ensure that all parties involved in the Libya conflict show responsibility for the fate of their country, he added.

Lavrov added that the political process in Syria became possible "thanks to the responsible attitude of all Syrian parties with the support of external players."

The minister said that Moscow wants to combine the efforts of Germany, France, Italy and Libyan neighbors including Algeria and Egypt, as well as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar, encouraging all Libyan parties to come to an agreement rather than relying on force.

Libya has been locked in a civil war following the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Several armed militias of different backgrounds have since emerged and have been fighting each other to take power, despite a peace deal being signed by the warring parties in the Moroccan city of Skhirat in 2015.

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