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Haftar Committed to Libya Ceasefire, to Join Berlin Conference

This image grab taken from a video obtained from Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army War Information Division's Facebook page on January 16, 2020, shows Haftar (R) greeting German Foreign Minister Minister Heiko Maas in Libya's second city of Benghazi. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / LNA War Information Division / AFP)
This image grab taken from a video obtained from Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army War Information Division's Facebook page on January 16, 2020, shows Haftar (R) greeting German Foreign Minister Minister Heiko Maas in Libya's second city of Benghazi. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / LNA War Information Division / AFP)
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Haftar Committed to Libya Ceasefire, to Join Berlin Conference

This image grab taken from a video obtained from Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army War Information Division's Facebook page on January 16, 2020, shows Haftar (R) greeting German Foreign Minister Minister Heiko Maas in Libya's second city of Benghazi. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / LNA War Information Division / AFP)
This image grab taken from a video obtained from Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army War Information Division's Facebook page on January 16, 2020, shows Haftar (R) greeting German Foreign Minister Minister Heiko Maas in Libya's second city of Benghazi. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / LNA War Information Division / AFP)

Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar is committed to a ceasefire, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday after three-hours of talks between them in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.

"Haftar has signaled his readiness to contribute to the success of the Libya Conference in Berlin (on Sunday) and is willing to participate. He has repeated his commitment to observe the existing ceasefire," Maas said in a tweet sent by his ministry.

Germany invited the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, through a phone call made by Maas on Wednesday. But he invited Haftar through a face-to-face meeting on Thursday.

There have been failed efforts by Russia and Turkey to persuade Haftar on a visit to Moscow this week to agree to a lasting ceasefire and halt his offensive on the Libyan capital Tripoli. Haftar left Moscow without signing the proposal.

The conference to be hosted by Germany on Sunday would bring together Haftar and Sarraj, and several foreign powers to try to end the offensive on Tripoli and resume talks on a power sharing deal.

Among those attending would be Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Wednesday for firm support for the peace talks and asked for a halt in the fighting.

In a report to the Security Council he urged all parties to "engage constructively towards that end, including within the Berlin process".

He also warned against "external interference", which he said would "deepen the ongoing conflict and further complicate efforts to reach a clear international commitment to a peaceful resolution of the underlying crisis".

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New Lebanon President Starts Consultations on Naming PM

Lebanese President-elect Joseph Aoun poses for a picture before the oath-taking ceremony at the parliament in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 January 2025. (EPA)
Lebanese President-elect Joseph Aoun poses for a picture before the oath-taking ceremony at the parliament in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 January 2025. (EPA)
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New Lebanon President Starts Consultations on Naming PM

Lebanese President-elect Joseph Aoun poses for a picture before the oath-taking ceremony at the parliament in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 January 2025. (EPA)
Lebanese President-elect Joseph Aoun poses for a picture before the oath-taking ceremony at the parliament in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 January 2025. (EPA)

New Lebanese President Joseph Aoun began parliamentary consultations Monday to designate a prime minister tasked with forming a government desperately needed to tackle major challenges in the crisis-hit country.

Caretaker premier Najib Mikati and Nawaf Salam, a favorite of anti-Hezbollah lawmakers who is the presiding judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, have emerged as the frontrunners.

The consultations, a constitutional requirement under Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, follow Aoun's election last week amid foreign pressure for swift progress -- particularly from the United States.

The eastern Mediterranean nation had been without a president since October 2022, run by a caretaker government amid a crushing economic crisis compounded by all-out war between Lebanese Iran-backed group Hezbollah and Israel.

By convention, Lebanon's prime minister is a Sunni Muslim.

Opposition lawmakers on Saturday had thrown their backing behind anti-Hezbollah lawmaker Fouad Makhzoumi, a wealthy businessman who has good foreign relations.

But on Monday he said he withdrew his candidacy to "make way for consensus between all who believe in the need for change around the name of Judge Nawaf Salam".

Aoun's consultations with political blocs got underway at 8:15 am (0615 GMT) with a meeting with deputy parliament speaker Elias Abu Saab, the official National News Agency said.

- 'Part of the accord' -

A source close to Hezbollah told AFP that both Hezbollah and powerful parliament speaker Nabih Berri's Amal movement supported Mikati.

Mikati, who has already formed three governments and has good relations with Lebanon's political parties and several foreign countries, has denied any prior arrangement exists for the naming of a PM.

One of the country's richest men, Mikati has headed the country in a caretaker capacity throughout the presidential vacuum.

Mikati said on the sidelines of the presidential vote on Thursday that he was ready to serve the country "if needed".

Whoever heads Lebanon's new government will face major challenges, including implementing reforms to satisfy international donors amid the country's worst economic crisis in its history.

They will also face the daunting task of reconstructing swathes of the country after the Israel-Hezbollah war and implementing the November 27 ceasefire agreement, which includes the thorny issue of disarming Hezbollah.

- Opposition to Mikati -

Other lawmakers have instead proposed International Court of Justice judge Salam, a highly respected former ambassador whose name frequently comes up in such consultations.

Late Sunday saw last-ditch attempts to unify opposition and independent positions, with the aim of rallying around Salam and blocking Mikati's path to the premiership.

Hezbollah's opponents see Mikati as part of an old political system that the group has within its grip.

After Aoun pledged a "new phase" for Lebanon in his inaugural speech, anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said that "like it or not, Mikati was from the previous lot".

According to Lebanon's constitution, the president designates the prime minister in consultation with the parliament speaker, choosing the candidate with the most votes during the consultations.

Nominating a premier does not guarantee a new government will be formed imminently.

The process has previously taken weeks or even months due to deep political divisions and horse-trading.