Libya rivals to head to Berlin for talks with powers

Representatives of Libya’s warring factions are to head to Berlin later Tuesday for talks with the major powers on a proposed peace deal, the UN mission said.

UN envoy Bernardino Leon presented the latest draft agreement to delegations from the North African nation’s rival parliaments at talks in Morocco late on Monday.

He was due to give an 1100 GMT press conference after shuttling between the rival negotiating teams in the Moroccan seaside resort of Skhirat to gauge their response.

“Then we will all head to Berlin to meet European leaders and member countries of the UN Security Council,” UN mission spokesman Samir Ghattas told AFP.

Ghattas did not elaborate on who the negotiating teams would meet in Berlin.

But Morocco’s official MAP news agency said that the talks would be joined by the top diplomats of the five Security Council permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

With strong support from world leaders, Leon is pushing for a final agreement before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on June 17.

In a closing statement after a summit in Germany, the G7 called on Libya’s warring factions to take “bold political decisions” to prevent the oil-rich nation crumbling into a failed state.

Libya descended into chaos after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed veteran dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with heavily armed former rebels carving out fiefdoms across the country.

Jihadist groups have exploited the lawlessness, which has also prompted a huge influx of migrants trying to make the dangerous crossing to Europe, with shipwrecks leaving hundreds dead and the European Union straining to respond.