German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called on Libyans and the international community to exercise restraint and dialogue on Friday 13 December in the margins of the European Council.
“The Leaders call on all Libyan and international parties to refrain from taking military action, genuinely commit to a comprehensive and lasting cessation of hostilities and re-engage into a credible UN-led negotiation”, they stressed in a public statement issued at the end of a trilateral meeting.
According to the German Chancellor, the United Kingdom is in line with all three countries.
Speaking to the press, Ms Merkel said it was “becoming clear at this stage that Libya is a war by proxy. Neither party can act alone. That is why we feel called upon to make political progress as quickly as possible”, she added.
“We want to relaunch our diplomacy”, Mr Conte confirmed to the media. Leaders thus reaffirmed their determination to work for the success of the Berlin Conference, “which needs to take place with no further delay”, welcoming the efforts of their ministers in this regard.
They also expressed hope that “regional organisations, like the African Union and the League of Arab States, would play an important role in the concrete implementation of the outcomes and the follow up of the Berlin Conference”.
This conference, which, according to Mr Macron, “will make it possible to take a new step forward”, is expected to be held in early 2020 in the German capital.
The three leaders also recall that “lasting peace and stability in Libya will only be possible through a political solution” and emphasise their support for the UN and its special envoy, Ghassan Salamé.
The United Nations has recently reported several violations of the 2011 arms embargo. Jordan and the United Arab Emirates would provide arms to General Haftar’s troops, while Turkey would send arms to the Government of National Unity. According to the United Nations, armed groups from Sudan and Chad reportedly participated in fighting in Libya in 2019.
The presence of Russian mercenaries is also mentioned in the media.
See the declaration by the three countries: http://bit.ly/2RKczlE (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)