LIBYA-SECURITY/GENEVA TALKS NEWSER Libyan factions end talks with pledge to clinch deal within weeks

Record ID: 144331

  • Title: LIBYA-SECURITY/GENEVA TALKS NEWSER Libyan factions end talks with pledge to clinch deal within weeks
  • Date: 12th August 2015
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 12, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF U.N. BUILDING THE HEAD OF THE TOBRUK-BASED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOHAMED ALI SHOEB TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEAD OF THE TOBRUK-BASED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MOHAMED ALI SHOEB, SAYING: "I think it is positive, this is creative, and this is the first time the Congress attends to the meeting. They have some reservation, some points. We say that we will deal with these points when we discuss the annexes. And I think if they want to turn it back to square one, this is no chance to make a deal with them. But I hope they are moderate and the rest of the people would understand that they should not waste this opportunity." MOHAMED ALI SHOEB TALKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) THE HEAD OF THE TOBRUK-BASED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MOHAMED ALI SHOEB SAYING: "I hope that they would join, I hope that they will understand, no way. This is a good chance for our country and also for them. Otherwise even the international community will criticise them as opponents of the peace process. I hope that they should avoid this." MOHAMED ALI SHOEB TALKING TO JOURNALISTS SALEH AL-MAKZOM INTERVIEWED SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SALEH AL-MAKZOM, LIBYAN DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE GENERAL NATIONAL CONGRESS (GNC) SAYING: "We are optimistic, we are hopeful that there is a lot of common ground in the opinions of the two main sides. We feel, from what we have heard all the politicians say today, that there is a serious desire to take quick steps because we all recognise that this split in Libya with the legislative and executive branches has created an economic and security crisis." MAKZOM LEAVING AND GETTING INTO LIBYAN DELEGATION BUS
  • Embargoed: 27th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6E34HL77QBH4523MTJXCPHIKU
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Libya's warring factions agreed on Wednesday (August 12) to end the political crisis and military conflict in the country within weeks, the United Nations said at the end of two days of peace talks in Geneva.
    Libya is split between two governments backed by armed factions fighting each other, with Islamic State and other armed groups exploiting the resulting security vacuum.
    Mohamed Ali Shoeb, the head of the internationally recognised parliament, sounded optimistic after the meetings.
    "I think it is positive, this is creative, and this is the first time the Congress attends to the meeting. They have some reservation, some points. We say that we will deal with these points when we discuss the annexes. And I think if they want to turn it back to square one, it is no chance to make a deal with them. But I hope they are moderate and the rest of the people would understand that they should not waste this opportunity," said Shoeb.
    "I hope that they would join, I hope that they will understand, no way. This is a good chance for our country and also for them. Otherwise even the international community will criticise them as opponents of the peace process. I hope that they should avoid this," he added.
    The internationally recognised government has been based in the eastern city of Tobruk after they lost control of the capital Tripoli a year ago by an alliance of armed groups called Libya Dawn.
    Libya Dawn declared its own government a year ago, leaving the oil-rich country on the verge of anarchy.
    Tripoli-based Saleh al-Makzom, deputy president of the General National Congress (GNC), said he was also happy with the talks.
    "We are optimistic, we are hopeful that there is a lot of common ground in the opinions of the two main sides. We feel, from what we have heard all the politicians say today, that there is a serious desire to take quick steps because we all recognise that this split in Libya with the legislative and executive branches has created an economic and security crisis," he told reporters.
    Highlighting the risk that the U.N. talks, which have dragged on for almost a year, become irrelevant as the security situation worsens, Libya's rival governments flew air strikes on Tuesday (August 11) against suspected Islamic State positions in two cities.
    But the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), headed by special envoy Bernardino Leon, put a brave face on the situation after two days of closed-door talks in Geneva.
    Leon called on the parties at the talks to agree on a national unity government by the end of August and endorse it with a vote in September.
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