Libya's Eastern Parliament Speaker Lands in Moscow for Talks

The speaker of the eastern Libyan parliament Aguila Saleh arrived in Moscow in an official visit to discuss the recent developments in the North African state with Russian officials.

In press statements, Fathi Al-Meremi, Saleh’s advisor, said that the visit comes upon an invitation by Russian authorities, during which he will meet with senior Russian government officials in order to discuss economic, diplomatic and military issues related to Libya.

"Saleh will also discuss “Turkish aggression” against Libya," Al-Meremi stated, highlighting the importance of Russia’s role as a superpower and stressing the need to reach a ceasefire.

The Government of National Accord (GNA), which is based in Tripoli, is backed by Turkish troops and thousands of Syrian mercenaries in its war against the eastern-based Libyan National Army and its leader Khalifa Haftar.

In a related context, the Speaker of the Moroccan Parliament, Al-Habib Al-Maliki, extended an invitation to his Libyan counterpart Saleh, and a number of Libyan Members of Parliament (MPs), from both Tripoli and Tobruk, to meet in Rabat. These consultative talks are part of Morocco’s efforts to build bridges among Libyans.

Last week, the UN-brokered political talks between Libyan rivals ended without reaching a firm agreement. The talks are over mechanisms for choosing a new government.

The UN Support Mission in Libya’s (UNSMIL) Acting Head, Stephanie Williams, announced that political consultations would resume after a week. The meeting will be held via video conference.