Progress made in talks between Libya rivals, says UN envoy

Ghassan Salame, the United Nations’ special envoy for Libya has reported “progress” in Geneva talks between military representatives of the country’s rival parties.
Military officers from Libya’s UN-backed government, GNA, and representatives of the rival militia of warlord Khalifa Haftar, LNA, began meeting on Monday in a UN-sponsored joint military commission. The UN has been mediating a ceasefire that could include a monitoring role for the world body.
“Progress has been made on many important issues”, Salame said, adding that there were still “two or three points of divergence”.
“If it is easier to have an agreement through shuttle diplomacy, we do not have a problem with that. I am not here for the picture of the two sides shaking hands”, he added.
The conflict intensified in April last year when Haftar launched an offensive to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the GNA, which is supported by Turkey, Italy and Qatar.
Salame also warned that the embargo to which world leaders committed to uphold, was being breached with weapons, ammunition and foreign fighters arriving to support both sides in the conflict.