Western – 28 December 2014

Dec 28, 2014 | International actors

Although UNSMIL’s Chief Bernardino Leon and Libya’s Western partners continue to staunchly promote the undertaking of negotiations to follow up on the Ghadames process, hardly any positive developments have emerged from the country during the past week. In fact, major oil terminals in Sidra are up in flames and civilian targets in Misrata are being bombed in retaliation. UN-sponsored talks, initially dubbed Ghadames II, are now scheduled to start on Monday 5 January in a yet to be defined location, possibly outside of Libya or possibly in Hun. Although talks are likely to happen due to the increasing international pressure exerted on all Libyan parties to participate, what these negotiations will actually achieve in terms of pacification is doubtful. UNSMIL Chief Bernardino Leon confirmed that both sides have agreed in principle to discuss: the establishment of a national unity government, the negotiation of ceasefires throughout the country and the devising of a new constitution