Meetings of the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Committee begin in Geneva
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The 5 + 5 Libyan Joint Military Committee, composed of five regular army officers from each side of the Libyan conflict, which will discuss ways to enforce the ceasefire, began its meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday under the auspices of the United Nations, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) announced.
"Five senior officers appointed by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and five senior officers appointed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) are participating in the talks, which are being led by Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and head of UNSMIL," an UNSMIL statement said.
The Commander of the Libyan National Army forces, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, confirmed Saturday evening in Benghazi (East) to UN Envoy Ghassan Salamé the participation of the representatives of his forces.
The 5+5 Military and Security Committee was formed at the end of the Berlin International Conference to work for the observance of the truce through mechanisms that would make it a permanent ceasefire, as well as the departure of foreign combatants and the unification of the army and police organs.
A fragile truce was proclaimed on 12 January as brokered by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, and the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but it was difficult to sustain the truce despite attempts in Moscow and Berlin because of the refusal of Haftar to sign the agreement.
The Chairman of the Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Sarraj, initialed the document.
At the local level, the truce is regularly violated with skirmishes and missiles landing on residential areas.
UNSMIL has deplored the failure of the countries involved in the Libyan crisis to honour their commitments to respect the embargo, denouncing acts of sending fighters and weapons, which is likely to fuel tension despite the commitments made at the Berlin Conference.
On Sunday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas announced a new meeting in mid-March of the foreign ministers of the countries negotiating the peace agreement in Libya with a view to following up the Berlin Conference.
A political process, known as the Geneva process, initiated by the Berlin Conference, is due to start shortly under the auspices of the United Nations with the political track bringing together representatives of the Parliament and the High Council of State, as well as Libyan personalities from various backgrounds.
-0- PANA BY/IS/MTA 3Feb2020
