Germany's international summit on the war in Libya: "Reinforce arms embargo"

Merkel hosted the powers of the superpowers and two rival leaders from Libya, following the escalation in the fighting for Tripoli. Participants urged to halt escalation and prevent the continued supply of weapons to allow a ceasefire. Western diplomat: "Both sides and their supporters are not ready to lay down the weapons"

Germany's international summit on the war in Libya: "Reinforce arms embargo"

Foreign powers backing Libya's rival parties on Sunday called to halt the escalation in hostilities with the gathering of their representatives at an international summit in Berlin. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who hosted the conference, said at the end that participants agreed that the state-imposed arms embargo should be strengthened and respected to reach a long-term ceasefire agreement.

The summit was held because of the escalation in hostilities in the North African country, which has remained in chaos since the ouster of tyrant Muammar Gaddafi at the "Arab Spring" events in 2011. Since last April, General Suifat Heffer, who had been part of Gaddafi's regime until he defected from his ranks, has been occupying the capital Tripoli, which houses a government recognized by the international community. The Berlin summit was held in the shadow of oil field blockades by Haftar trustees, which could make it difficult for crude production in the country.

Huffter, based in the eastern state, is backed by Russia, neighboring Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while the government in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Piazza A-Siraj is backed by Turkey and Qatar. In recent weeks, Ankara has begun sending troops to the country, which reportedly include Syrian mercenaries from its ranks of rebels supported by it.

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Did not attempt to mediate a power distribution agreement. Leaders in the final picture, today (Photo: Reuters)

Libya Peace Summit, Berlin, Germany January 19, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The summit was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders, but they did not try to mediate between the parties to a power-sharing agreement. A Western diplomat also said that despite efforts to formulate a ceasefire to allow the talks to resume, "both sides and their supporters are not ready to lay down their weapons."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that the Berlin summit, attended by major supporters of the warring parties in Libya, has led to a consensus that the ceasefire established in Tripoli over the past week should become a permanent ceasefire to allow a political process to end the conflict. The reduction was followed by the call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We are not losing hope that the dialogue will continue and the conflict will be resolved," Putin said.

"We haven't solved all of Libya's problems." Merkel and other leaders during the summit today (Photo: Reuters)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, along with the German Foreign Minister and other leaders, during the Berlin summit (Photo: Reuters)

Under the understandings reached at the summit, a special committee made up of five military personnel from each side will oversee the truce, and foreign powers operating in Libya will hold the embargo and stop arms shipments, the chancellor explained. However, Serge and Heffer did not meet at the summit in Berlin, Merkel said. "We know that we did not solve all of Libya's problems today, but we brought a fresh momentum," she added.

Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Mayo called the summit a "starting point" for achieving a ceasefire and blocking the influx of arms into Libya that accelerated with Huffter's attacks. Italy, the former colonial power, has a special interest in security in Libya as the main target of hundreds of thousands of African immigrants crossing the Mediterranean.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkish President Erdogan at the summit (Photo: Reuters)

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkish President Erdogan Libya's Peace Summit, Berlin, Germany January 19, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Earlier this month, a truce was declared between the parties, but they blamed each other for violating it when an attempt to reach a prolonged ceasefire agreement failed last week, after Hefter abandoned talks in Moscow. A UN official said today that at least 2,000 Syrian fighters have already joined the fight.

"We call on all parties to redouble their efforts to continually halt hostilities, to prevent escalation and a permanent fire agreement," the summit statement said. More than 140,000 people have already been displaced from their homes since the start of the capital's campaign.

In addition, the powers called for to avoid damaging the country's oil facilities. According to the statement, the national oil company NOC based in Tripoli will be the only legitimate entity allowed to sell oil. This is after tribes affiliated with Khafter disrupted the operation of oil facilities in the eastern state.

(First Update: 12:15)

Report: Turkey sent about 2,000 Syrian fighters to fight Libya

German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Russian President Putin at the Summit (Photo: Reuters)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Russian President Vladimir Putin, January 19, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Snipers on the roof of Merkel's office today (Photo: AP)

Snipers deployed on the roof of the German Chancellor's Office Angela Merkel ahead of the start of the Libyan summit, Berlin, January 19, 2020 (Photo: AP)