Putin to take part in Libya peace conference in Berlin – Kremlin

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will be participating in the conference on a peaceful settlement in Libya, to take place in Germany's capital, Berlin, on Sunday, the Kremlin has said.

The Berlin summit will become the continuation of the peace effort that started in Moscow earlier this month when the warring parties set behind the table for the first time.

The Sunday’s conference will bring together the Government of National Accord (GNA) of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and the Libyan National Army (LNA), headed by general Khalifa Haftar, as well as representatives of Germany, Algeria, Great Britain, Egypt, UAE, China, Turkey and France.

During his stay in the German capital, President Putin will discuss ways of brining calm to the North African state after almost a decade of turmoil, including the possibility of swift cessation of hostilities, reconciliation of the warring parties and launch a broad political dialogue under the UN supervision, the Kremlin said.

The key agreements reached by the sides will be recorded in the final statement after the talks.

In Moscow, Haftar and Sarraj refused to talk to each other directly and, while the LNA delegation signed the agreement after the conference, the GNA representatives left the Russian capital without doing so.

However, the talks are still viewed as a breakthrough with both sides upholding the ceasefire since, despite no deal being officially signed.

On Friday, Haftar wrote a letter to Vladimir Putin, thanking the Russian leader for his efforts to settle the Libyan conflict and expressing readiness to come back to Moscow to continue the peace talks.

Once prosperous, Libya remains divided since 2011 when a popular uprising, backed by a NATO’s bombing campaign, led to the overthrow and murder of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.

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