Representatives of western powers, as well as Egypt and Turkey, will hold an international “technical” meeting in the UK, to discuss Libya’s crisis from 26-28 October, the Italian news agency, Nova reported on Wednesday.
Citing unnamed Libyan sources, Nova stated that the meeting will be attended by the Special Envoys of France, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US).
Another two European nations most involved in the Libyan file, Italy and Germany will be present in the meetings, alongside Turkey and Egypt.
The only name Nova confirmed to be in attendance was Italy’s Special Envoy to Libya, Nicola Orlando.
Libya and the UN have been striving to turn the page on the violence that has wracked the country, since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
A ceasefire between eastern and western factions last year led to a unity government taking office in March. This had a mandate to lead the country to elections, which have been indefinitely delayed
Foreign powers have been pushing hard for Presidential elections to be held as soon as possible. The process has been beset by sharp disagreements over the legal basis for the vote.
Foreign powers have backed various sides in Libya’s complex war, and the presence of mercenaries and foreign troops is one of the toughest obstacles to lasting peace.
In December, the UN estimated that 20,000 foreign fighters were present in Libya.
The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by various militias and foreign governments.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December, and the refusal of Prime Minister Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba to step down. In response, the country’s eastern-based Parliament appointed a rival Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.