Factions agree to Dec 10 elections

Rival Libyan factions yesterday agreed on a declaration that would create a political framework to pave the way for UN-backed elections in December to end the country's seven-year-old conflict.

The oil-producing nation splintered following the 2011 Nato-backed revolt that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, and since 2014 has been divided between competing political and military groups based in Tripoli and the east.

The United Nations is leading an effort to reunify Libya and to organise national elections.

The Paris meeting, included eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar, Tripoli Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, and the leaders of rival parliamentary assemblies, aimed to urge them to agree general principles for ending the conflict and moving towards elections.

"Against the backdrop of a Libyan-owned process and the full engagement of all Libyan parties involved, we committed in Paris on May 29, 2018 ... to work constructively with the UN to realise credible and peaceful elections as soon as possible and to respect the results of these elections when they occur," an eight-point joint statement by the four stakeholders read.