Officials from Libya’s warring sides concluded two days of security and military talks in Egypt aimed at reaching a lasting ceasefire, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, reported.
Police and military officers from the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and the rival Libyan National Army (LNA) held a meeting in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada for talks facilitated by the UNSMIL, reported UN News.
The discussions were marked by “a spirit of responsibility, transparency and mutual trust”, UNSMIL said in a statement.
The GNA and LNA officials had discussions on a number of issues security and military issues going on in Libya.
“They addressed a number of pressing security and military issues, including confidence-building measures; security arrangements in an area to be defined at a later stage within the framework of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee (JMC) talks; in addition to tasks and responsibilities of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG),” the statement said.
The 5+5 JMC talks started earlier this year in Geneva, bringing together five senior officers from each side. The talks in Hurghada ended with a series of recommendations which will be presented to the members of the two warring sides.
The two parties urged the joint committee to swiftly resume face-to-face meetings starting next week, and to release all people detained on account of their identity or origin without any pre-conditions or restrictions. Additionally, a prisoner exchange should occur before the end of October.
They also called for end of hate speech campaigns, rejection of any sort of violence and terrorism, and replacing hatred “with a discourse of tolerance and reconciliation.” Other recommendations included expediting the re-opening of air traffic and land transportation across Libya to ensure freedom of movement of all citizens.
Libya fell into chaos following the 2011 overthrow of the former leader, the late Muammar Gaddafi, resulting in friction between the two rival administrations, with the GNA in the capital, Tripoli, and the LNA in the east.
