Libyan National Army Commander (LNA) Khalifa Haftar and east-based parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh held a surprise meeting on Saturday, in what observers interpreted as a sign of reconciliation between them.
The officials met at Saleh’s office in the eastern city of al-Qubbah.
The speaker’s office said in a statement that talks focused on the latest developments in Libya. In a brief statement, Haftar’s office said that the officials met, without providing further details.
This marked the first meeting between Haftar and Saleh since the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, and Presidential Council, headed by Mohammed al-Menfi.
Menfi was in Tobruk on Thursday where he received head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Jan Kubis.
They discussed ways to expedite the implementation of the ceasefire agreement in full, without any further delay with the opening of the coastal road as a necessary confidence-building step, said a UNSMIL statement.
Kubis had recently met with head of the Higher Council of State, Khalid al-Mishri, who said the presence of mercenaries “who are loyal to the other side is the main obstacle to reopening the coastal road” that connects the country’s east to its west.
He stressed the need for the withdrawal of all mercenaries and outlawed foreign forces before discussions over past military agreements can kick off.
Mishri also conveyed to Kubis his “concern” over how the GNU was prevented from meeting in the eastern city of Benghazi.
He remarked that the government was incapable of imposing its authority throughout the country, criticizing Haftar for being insubordinate to any authority, which undermines the possibility of holding transparent and free elections.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in Libya welcomed the reopening of the coastal road, saying it is “a key step to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and serves as a vital link for trade and a necessary supply route for items like vaccines and fuel benefitting all Libyans.”
GNU military official Ibrahim Beitalmal said earlier this week that the reopening of the road hinges on the withdrawal of mercenaries and on the LNA retreating to its bases in al-Rajma near Benghazi.
