Libya: Serraj & Haftar Reach Timid Agreement on Elections in 2018

Egyptian diplomacy failed Tuesday to snatch a bold and promising agreement between Head of Libyan Presidency Council Faiez Serraj and self-style Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar to end the political deadlock.

The talks in Cairo only hashed out agreements for fresh parliamentary and presidential elections to be held by February 2018, reports say.

Direct talks between Serraj and Haftar due to take place Tuesday eventually did not occur and Egyptian officials continued indirect talks with both protagonists.

According to press reports, both rival accepted to put in a place a 15-member committee with members coming from the country’s parliament, House of Representatives (HoR) and the State Council to look at changes to the Libyan Political Agreement.

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, aligned with GNA’s rival government based in the East, reportedly refused Serraj’s “proposal for a three-man presidency, a separate government, the position of commander-in-chief to be held jointly by the heads of the Presidency Council, the HoR and the State Council and a supreme military council which would include the field marshal.”

Serraj reportedly flew back to Tripoli after Haftar’s refusals.

The Libyan Political Agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 and expected to lift the country out of the abyss has been stumbling over the position of Haftar who has become a figurehead in the crisis.

Haftar has objected working with Serraj and took actions, which severely undermined the PC’s survival. In September he overran the country’s oil ports protected by Serraj forces.

Though commanding from the East, Haftar who now enjoys Russia’s support has threatened to capture Tripoli, which, he says, is awash with terrorists.