Tripoli parliament rejects Libya peace plan, wants more talks

The parliament in Tripoli rejected Tuesday a UN proposal to resolve Libya's political crisis but said it wanted to press on with talks toward reaching an accord with its rival in the east of the country.

Plunged into chaos after the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has two parliaments and governments vying for power, one in Tripoli and one in the eastern port city of Tobruk, which is recognised by the international community.

On June 29, delegations from both sides headed home from the Moroccan resort of Skhirat after holding their first direct talks in months but failed to agree on UN proposals for a united government.

UN envoy Bernardino Leon had appealed to them to endorse his proposals for a merged administration to tackle a growing jihadist presence in the North African nation, which has cast a shadow over its neighbours, especially Tunisia.

Omar Hamidan, spokesman for Tripoli's General National Congress, said "this draft accord is not the satisfactory state (necessary) for us to initial it."

The GNC called on the UN envoy to "reopen the debate," and said its team was "ready to head (to the table of) dialogue immediately, once a date is decided, to "discuss modifications the GNC wants to introduce in the text."

Among these are a called for "respecting the judiciary," a possible reference to a Supreme Court decision invalidating the parliament in the east, which was elected in June 2014.

The GNC is close to Fajr Libya, an alliance of Islamist militias that controls the capital, and which called the proposal a betrayal of those who "fought for the liberation of Libya and the preservation of its sovereignty".

A surge of jihadist violence across the region, including the killing of 38 people, most of them British tourists, at a Tunisian beach resort last month, has prompted mounting international pressure for a deal.
Source: AFP