Libyans at Geneva talks seek unity government

TRIPOLI, Libya: Libyan negotiators holding talks in Geneva have agreed to work toward forming a national unity government for their shattered nation, the UN mission to the North African country announced on Friday.
However, the development fell short of making significant progress toward stability in Libya since representatives of one of the main rival groups — the Islamist-dominated Parliament in the capital of Tripoli and the militias backing it — were absent from the talks in Switzerland.
Libya has been mired in its worst fighting since Muammar Qaddafi’s regime was overthrown in 2011. Two rival governments are each backed by an array of militias that have effectively split the nation.
One government is based in Tripoli and supported by Islamist parties and powerful militias from the western city of Misrata. The second Cabinet has been chosen by Libya’s elected Parliament, which is internationally recognized but which was forced to relocate at gunpoint to the far eastern city of Tobruk where it now holds sessions.
The fighting and violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, left hundreds killed and thousands wounded. Most foreign diplomats fled the country and shut their embassies last year.
The talks hosted by the United Nations are aimed at reaching a cease-fire and laying the groundwork for a practical road map to end the conflict. Lawlessness and a proliferation of weapons have turned Libya into a magnet for extremists, including affiliates to the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda.
On Friday, the UN mission to Libya said it concluded two days of talks in Geneva with Libyan representatives, during which the participants also agreed on pulling out all armed groups from Libyan cities.
The UN mission said the participants discussed “confidence-building measures,” including the release of detainees from both sides and opening closed ports.
UN Envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon, who is leading the peace efforts, said earlier this week that the Geneva talks are just the start of a long process.
A statement from Libya Dawn — an alliance of Misrata militias backed by Islamist parties that overtook Tripoli last year — rejected the UN talks.