Global powers seeking peace deal for Libya

BERLIN－World leaders gathered in Berlin on Sunday to make a fresh push for peace in Libya, in a desperate bid to stop the conflict-wracked nation from disintegrating into a "second Syria".

The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France were expected to meet under the auspices of the United Nations, which wants to get foreign powers wielding influence in the region to stop interfering in the war, through the provision of weapons, troops or financing.

Leaders of both warring factions－Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the east-based army in Libya, and Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of Tripoli's UN-recognized Government of National Accord, or GNA, in Tripoli－were also expected at the first such gathering since 2018.

But hours before the meeting, pro-Haftar forces upped the ante by blocking oil exports at the war-ravaged country's key ports, crippling the main source of income in a protest against Turkey's decision to send troops to shore up the GNA.

The move underlined the devastating impact of what is described by the UN as foreign interference, which UN special envoy Ghassan Salame said had to stop.

"All foreign interference can provide is some aspirin effect in the short term, but Libya needs all foreign interference to stop. That's one of the objectives of this conference," he said on the eve of the meeting.

The UN hopes all sides will sign a plan to refrain from interference, and commit to a truce that leads to a lasting end to hostilities, according to a draft of a final communique shown on Sunday.

That document also urges all parties to recommit to a UN arms embargo and raises the prospect of political, inter-Libyan talks in Geneva at the end of the month.

The one-day meeting will not attempt to broker a power-sharing agreement between Haftar and Serraj, Reuters reported.

If all goes to plan, the Berlin participants will hold an evening news conference.

Libya has been torn by fighting between rival armed factions since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed Moammar Gadhafi.

Most recently, Sarraj's troops in Tripoli have been under attack since April from Haftar's forces.

Clashes killed more than 280 civilians and 2,000 fighters and displaced tens of thousands, until a fragile cease-fire backed by both Ankara and Moscow was put in place on Jan 12.

Although Sarraj's GNA government is supported by the UN, powerful players have broken away to stand behind Haftar－turning a domestic conflict into what is essentially a proxy war in which international powers jostle to secure their own interests.

'Second Syria'

Alarm grew internationally as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered troops to Libya in early January to bolster Sarraj.

Underlining the stakes involved, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said "Europe and those players who are influential" in the region have all been called to Berlin, because "we have to make sure Libya doesn't become a second Syria".

"The conference can be the first step to peace for Libya," Maas told the Bild newspaper.

Meanwhile, Sarraj issued a call for international "protection troops" if Haftar were to keep up his offensive.

"Such a protection force must operate under the auspices of the UN. Experts will have to advise who should participate, such as the European Union or the African Union or the Arab League", he told Die Welt newspaper on Sunday.

He also criticized the EU, saying it had not been proactive enough on Libya.

On the eve of the Berlin talks, Erdogan warned Europe to stand united behind Sarraj's government, as Tripoli's fall could leave "fertile ground" for jihadist groups like the Islamic State terror group or al-Qaida "to get back on their feet".

Erdogan also played up Europe's fears of a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis. In a commentary for Politico news website, he warned that further unrest could prompt a new wave of migrants to head for the continent.

Accusing France in particular of siding with Haftar, Erdogan said leaving Libya to the commander would be a "mistake of historic proportions".

France has denied it was backing Haftar.

But Haftar is backed by Turkey's fiercest regional rivals－Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.