UN ENVOY SAYS LIBYA TALKS WILL CONTINUE DESPITE CLASHES

Tripoli, 3 Jumadil Akhir 1436/23 March 2015 (MINA) – The UN special envoy to Libya has warned against a military solution to the country’s crisis, calling on political rivals meeting for peace talks in Morocco to remain engaged in talks.

UN envoy Bernardino Leon told Al Jazeera on Sunday that reaching a political agreement between the country’s two rival administrations and allied militias was the only way forward after fierce clashes erupted in and around the capital Tripoli in recent days.

“We have spent the whole day in consultations with the parties and have been insisting there is no military solution for Libya,” Leon said, Al Jazeera quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“The situation in Libya has deteriorated in the last day and a half… and obviously it has had an impact on the dialogue.

“For the moment no one is leaving. We have had a difficult moment after these attacks. The worst possibilities were either cancel the dialogue or to lose some delegations, which will have a similar impact. The delegations are staying no one is leaving.”

Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from the Moroccan city of Rabat, said the Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) administration, which has been hesitant of the talks, was looking for assurances that the violence, including air strikes would stop.

On Saturday, the UN-recognised Tobruk government launched air raids against airports and a military camp in Tripoli, killing Salah Burki, a senior commander loyal to the GNC, officials said.

After urging the parties to stay, Leon said on Sunday that the mood was positive with plans to expedite the talks. (T/P001/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)