On Monday, the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh, stated that the US was interested in reaching a ceasefire in Libya.
In statements to Al Arabiya TV, the Speaker pointed out that Turkey was unable to capture the city of Sirte, and knows that it is fighting a losing war. He stressed his rejection of Turkey’s presence in Libya.
Saleh also stressed that the parliament does not recognise the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), ruling out negotiations with it. He added that the GNA officials have failed to abide by the Skhirat Agreement of 2015.
He linked the distribution of oil revenues to the Central Bank of Libya, with the formation of a new government saying: “We reject the presence of militias in oil facilities, and also their access to oil revenues.”
The Speaker said that the parliament was adhering to the outcomes of the Berlin Conference, and the Cairo Declaration. He also called for the withdrawal of GNA forces from around Sirte, and Al-Jufra
Saleh recently met with the US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland. They discussed ways to reach a comprehensive solution to the crisis.
“The meeting discussed the steps taken to move forward with work on the initiative of Saleh, which culminated in the Cairo Declaration, and is based on the outcomes of the Berlin Conference”, said the media adviser to the Speaker, Hamid Al-Safi. During the meeting, Saleh suggested setting up a unified authority in Sirte, secured by Libyan legal agencies. Al-Safi said the meeting reached an agreement for a ceasefire.
Ambassador Norland explained the necessity of ending the fighting in Libya, and that there was no military solution to the conflict.