Libya peace talks: Haftar leaves Moscow talks without signing truce with Tripoli-based GNA - Says he wants to 'discuss it first with tribal leaders'

RT
Tue, 14 Jan 2020 18:00 UTC

Comment: Assuming that that's the real reason he is delaying signing the truce, fair play to him for resisting Russian pressure to sign there and then. Libya's Tribes Council is the third 'unofficial' govt in Libya, for now aligned with Haftar's National Army...

© Sputnik / Vladimir Astapkovich

General Khalifa Haftar

Khalifa Haftar, who leads the Libyan National Army, failed to come to terms with the rival Government of National Accord, leaving the closely-watched Moscow talks without signing any agreement, Russia's Foreign Ministry confirmed.

"We continue to work with [the opposing] sides," the ministry told Russian TASS news agency.

General Haftar and his delegation returned to Benghazi earlier on Tuesday after the talks ended at an impasse, Al Arabiya reported. The channel cites the general himself, who says the draft agreement that was due to be signed during the Moscow peace talks didn't include some provisions crucial to his Libyan National Army (LNA). The 76-year-old general insisted on "dismantling and disarming" forces loyal to the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) which has a seat in Tripoli, a military source from the LNA told the news outlet.

Earlier, Turkey and Russia joined forces to push the LNA and GNA into signing a binding truce that would have ended the months-long hostilities and laid the groundwork for a settlement.

Meanwhile, GNA Foreign Minister Mohamed Taher Siala told Russian media that their delegation did sign the agreement before departing Moscow. It was also reported that Fayez al-Sarraj, the GNA's prime minister, refused to meet with Haftar in person, with Russian and Turkish diplomats acting as intermediaries between the two.

"Today we can report that some progress was made," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters on Monday, when the talks were in full swing.

The negotiations were met with praise by major world actors. The Libyan ceasefire was "a first step in the right direction, but what you need is a process for consolidation, for reconstruction and a government of unity," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, adding that "there is a long way to go."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a summit on Libya to take place in Berlin on January 19.

Comment: Erdogan's response:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to teach Libyan militia leader Khalifa Haftar a "lesson" if he does not cease his attacks on forces loyal to the UN-backed government in Tripoli.

Erdogan said in a speech that the "putschist Haftar ran away" from negotiations being held in Moscow, and that Ankara would not hesitate to teach him "a lesson" if he continues military action against the Government of National Accord (GNA).

The Turkish leader claimed that Haftar had first agreed to sign the ceasefire before abruptly leaving Moscow. Despite the setback, Erdogan stated that he was still planning to take part in further talks on Libya.

More from RT:

The Moscow talks on Libya's ceasefire haven't failed despite the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) not signing an agreement. Khalifa Haftar just wanted to discuss it with tribal leaders, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier said that Haftar left for Benghazi without signing the agreement and wanted two days to discuss it. The Government of National Accord (GNA) delegation, headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, signed the agreement before leaving Moscow for Istanbul.

The Russian MoD said Haftar's assessment of the final statement after negotiations with the rival GNA was "positive."

But before signing, he took two days to discuss the paper with the leader of the tribes that support the LNA.