Russia, Turkey Call for Cease-Fire in Libya

Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire in Libya from next Sunday, after a meeting in Istanbul on Monday with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We call on all parties to the conflict in Libya to stop hostilities (by that date) and declare a permanent ceasefire," said a joint statement issued after the meeting.

The two sides called on the various parties to "sit immediately at the negotiating table with a view to ending the suffering of the Libyan people."

Turkey supports Al-wefaq government led by Fayez Al-Sarraj, which is based in Tripoli, and has said that it will send military advisers and possibly forces to reinforce its support, while the Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is engaged in a military operation to liberate the capital Tripoli and cleanse it of terrorist militias supporting the Saraj government.

Turkey's move to support Al-Sarraj came amid a wave of international condemnation, as this step violates international legitimacy, especially the Security Council’s decision to ban weapons on the warring parties in Libya.

On the other hand, Putin and Erdogan expressed their support for an international conference scheduled in the second half of January in the German capital Berlin and sponsored by the United Nations, with the aim of reaching a solution that would pave the way for reviving the political process in Libya.

On its part, Al-wefaq government expressed late in the evening yesterday, its welcoming to the call and any serious invitation to return to political talks.

But Reuters quoted analysts that it may be difficult to implement any cease-fire agreement, especially after the recent escalation of fighting around Tripoli and Sirte and achieving successes for the Libyan National Army.

The Libyan National Army took control of the strategically important city of Sirte, with its location in the middle of the Libyan coast on the Mediterranean Sea, in an attack on Monday and is now seeking to consolidate its gains.

Forces, most of them from Misrata, east of Tripoli - have controlled Sirte since ISIS militants were expelled from them in late 2016.

In Brussels, the German Foreign Minister expressed to Al-Sarraj yesterday, his discontent with the deployment of Turkish forces on Libyan territory or to move forward with the maritime agreement with Turkey.

"Libya cannot become another Syria, so we urgently need to enter into a political process and reach an agreement on an effective ceasefire and an arms embargo," said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also stressed in Rome on the importance of a political solution to the Libyan crisis and the seriousness of sending Turkish forces to the country.

A statement of the Italian government said, "Conte expressed his deep concern about the continuous escalation on the scene in Libya."