Libya’s factions cannot be forced into a UN-brokered peace deal even as Islamic State strengthens its presence there, Foreign Minister George Vella has cautioned.
The two rival governments in Tripoli and Tobruk have until tomorrow to sign a peace accord and form a national unity government as proposed by the UN. “Both sides know that every minute the agreement is delayed gives Daesh (the Arabic name for Islamic State) the chance to grow in Libya… but we cannot force an agreement down their throats,” Dr Vella said yesterday.
He was speaking to the Times of Malta 24 hours after a high-level conference in Rome tried to push for an agreement. The conference, organised by Italy, brought together key players, including the US and Russia.
It is unclear how officials will convince opponents and armed factions to support a national unity government, which they may reject despite a year-long UN effort.
The process has been dogged by infighting that sees Libya effectively split between the internationally-recognised government exiled in the eastern city of Tobruk and the self-declared government in the capital, Tripoli.
Dr Vella said the situation in Libya was very complex and forcing a national unity government on unwilling parties could complicate matters further.
‘Language of threats may bring resistance’
“The Libyans are a proud people and the language of threats, of which there were hints in Sunday’s declaration, could foster more resistance despite the danger posed by Daesh,” he said.
However, he acknowledged the frustration of the international community as Libyan parties keep putting spokes in the wheels. Only last weekend, a meeting in Malta requested by the Libyan sides was called off after the Tobruk representatives failed to turn up.
Dr Vella said despite the high expectations for the Rome conference it produced “another document” stressing the importance of reaching a political solution with some “forceful language” included to add pressure.
“It is anybody’s guess what will happen [by tomorrow]… any agreement reached is just the very beginning, because a unity government will then have to disarm the factions, bring about reconciliation, create the State institutions and ensure it could assert itself on all the territory,” Dr Vella said.
A unity government will then have to disarm the factions and bring about reconciliation
But he was sceptical of a separate deal reached last week between rivals from both sides outside the UN process – referred to as the Libya-to-Libya agreement – insisting the brokers were mainly those who had opposed UN efforts all along.
“The Libya-to-Libya deal has not found all-round backing in Libya and is being viewed as an attempt to undermine the UN process,” Dr Vella said.
A report drawn up for the UN Security Council last month said that Islamic State’s leadership had recognised the situation in Libya as an opportunity to establish a new foothold outside Iraq and Syria.
The report said that IS viewed Libya as a “retreat and operational zone” for fighters unable to reach the Middle East and the “best” opportunity to expand its so-called caliphate.
Libya is the only country outside Iraq and Syria where IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has appointed close aides to lead the organisation there.
The report said that around 800 Libyan nationals who fought with IS in Iraq and Syria had started to return and formed the bedrock of the fledgling organisation, which counts not more than 2,000 to 3,000 fighters.
Islamic State first established a foothold in the eastern city of Derna but has since re-grouped in the coastal city of Sirte, halfway between Tripoli and Benghazi.
kurt.sansone@timesofmalta.com