Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday backed the efforts of Libya's military commander Khalifa Haftar and his rival UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj to reach a peace agreement in the conflict-ridden country. "We actively support the emerging trend to step up the process of political resolution, towards a full restoration of statehood in your country," Lavrov told Haftar in remarks released by the foreign ministry after the two men met in Moscow.
"We know about your efforts, together with Sarraj, aimed at achieving a generally accepted agreement on optimal ways to execute the Skhirat political agreement that would be acceptable for everyone," Lavrov said. The UN-backed Skhirat Agreement was reached in 2015 as the basis for a political process in Libya, but it had been rejected by Haftar and other factions. "We support your intent on achieving some progress," Lavrov said. Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.