Moscow talks on Libya contribute to upcoming Berlin conference – Russian FM

The talks on Libya held in Moscow on January 13 were intended as part of a peaceful settlement process that will continue at a conference in Berlin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, the document was not signed by everybody, but it was signed by [PM of the Government of National Accord Fayez] al-Sarraj and [Chairman of the Libyan High Council of State Khalid] al-Mishri,” the minister told the Raisina Dialogue 2020 conference in New Delhi.

Commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar and Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives Aguila Saleh Issa said they needed more time to discuss the situation, Lavrov noted. “We never pretended that this would be the final meeting to resolve each issue,” TASS quoted him as saying.

“We have been promoting this meeting in Moscow as a contribution to the conference in Berlin which will be held this coming Sunday,” Lavrov said. He added that Russia “is not overdramatizing” the situation after Haftar refused to sign a ceasefire deal and took a pause for consultations with the parliament.