UN: Joint Libyan commission to start 1st meeting

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - Coming from a meeting last month meant to help end Libya’s civil war, a joint military commission representing the UN-recognized government and eastern Libyan forces will start its first meeting today in Geneva, said the UN.

“The 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Commission is starting its meeting under the auspices of the United Nations in Geneva today,” said a UN statement.

“Five senior officers appointed by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and five senior officers appointed by the Libyan National Army (LNA) are participating in the talks, which are moderated by Ghassan Salame, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya,” it added.

Since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: warlord Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya, supported mainly by Egypt and the UAE, and the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.

On Jan. 12, the conflict parties announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by the Turkish and Russian leaders. But subsequent talks for a permanent cease-fire ended after Haftar left a meeting in Moscow without signing the deal.

The new commission came from a Jan. 19 meeting of world powers and regional actors in Berlin to reach a lasting cease-fire and pave the way for a political solution.