Foreign Ministers of Libyan neighbours focused on Haftar's role

Tunisian diplomatic sources revealed that foreign ministers of Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria discussed, during their meeting conducted Sunday in the headquarters of Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the political role that Libya's military leader Khalifa Haftar will perform during the coming period. The discussions also extended to the role of Islamist factions in the future of the country.

The ministerial meeting also discussed the results of consultations conducted by the three countries with the different components of the Libyan political scene to bridge the gap of difference over the amendment of Skheirat Agreement concluded in 2015 to pave the way for drafting political bases to resolve the Libyan crisis.

The Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi is scheduled to hold meetings with the three foreign ministers to discuss the results of the meeting. Tunisian Foreign Minister Khamis Al Jehanawy said that the Tunisian initiative is based on four major factors, including pushing the Libyan conflicting parties to conduct a dialogue, refusing any military interference, easing differences over Skheirat Agreement, and supporting the role of United Nations as the major umbrella for any political solution for the Libyan crisis.

The talks focused on the potential amendments on Skheirat Agreement, especially the future role scheduled to be performed by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, as the agreement concluded in Morocco has not included any indication over the role of the military leader whose forces control large swaths of the eastern side of the country where the oil fields exist since September.

Egypt's Military Chief of Staff Mahmoud Hegazy, on his hand, met with UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler to discuss the recent developments in Libya. They discussed the recent efforts exerted on the Libyan arena to bridge the gap of difference among the different conflicting parties.

Hegazy stressed Egypt's keenness to resolve the Libyan crisis through achieving accordance among the major powers in the Libyan arena upon the national principles. Kobler stressed his appreciation to the Egyptian role to resolve the crisis. The Egyptian military leader held meetings with the leaders of Libyan political powers in Cairo last week.

The different parties stressed the need for keeping the unity of the country and its territorial integrity, underlining the necessity of protecting the Libyan people and their military institution. They also expressed their refusal to all images of foreign interference in the Libyan affairs, stressing their desire to build an independent modern state.