Rival Libyan leaders vying for influence in the fractured and war-scarred country meet in Paris on Tuesday for a major peace conference seen as a risky French-backed push for a political settlement in the country. Many analysts are sceptical that the initiative to invite four senior figures representing Libya's factions, as well as neighbouring countries and regional powers, can lead to significant progress.
Years of mediation by the United Nations, as well as former colonial power Italy, have failed to bring stability to the north African nation which descended into chaos after the ousting of dictator Muammar Qadhafi in 2011.
The main focus of the meeting will be on trying to agree a political roadmap committing all parties to hold parliamentary and presidential elections before the end of the year - an approach not favoured by everyone.
"I believe that elections are a big risk in a country armed like Libya," Federica Saini Fasanotti, an analyst with the Washington-based Brookings Institution, told AFP.
There are also disagreements over whether a vote on a new constitution, or elections for the presidency and parliament, should come first.
"While the Italians, Turkish, Qataris and to a large extent the Americans believe the constitution comes before elections, on the other side, the French, Egyptians and Emiratis want elections first," Mohamed Eljarh, from the Libya Outlook consulting firm told AFP.
Also, despite French efforts to convene all of the leading players in the oil-rich country, militias in and around the city of Misrata have boycotted proceedings, leaving western Libya under-represented at the talks.
The Libyan invitees include Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the UN-backed unity government in Tripoli, and 75-year-old military strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose rival Libyan National Army dominates the country's east.
Aguila Saleh Issa, the parliament speaker based in the eastern town of Tobruk who opposes the UN-backed administration, is also expected, as is Khalid Al-Mishri, the newly elected head of the High Council of State.
Representatives from around 20 countries involved in the Libya crisis have been invited - an acknowledgement that the problems can only be resolved if regional powers agree on a common roadmap.
Comments
Comments are closed.