New round of Libyan political talks kicks off in Geneva

A new round of Libyan political discussions kicked off in Geneva on Wednesday, seeking to end Libya's deepening political and security crisis.

Wednesday's discussion is the second round of talks hosted by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), with an aim to reach a political settlement to form a unity government acceptable for all Libyans, and stop fighting within armed groups.

UNSMIL viewed this new round of dialogue as providing a key opportunity for Libyan parties to engage in a political process that might lead to breaking the political deadlock underlying the crisis that has overtaken the country.

"It's going to be a long process. It's going to be difficult. But I hope we will have many opportunities to continue to meet and this relation will be fruitful and satisfactory for everyone," Bernardino Leon, the special representative of the secretary-general for Libya and head of UNSMIL, told a press conference before the talks.

The meeting is expected to last until Friday. Attendees include representatives from the country's political, social, economic, and civil society, as well as participants from municipalities, militia groups, and tribal leaders.

"We do not expect to have a breakthrough tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. There is gap between the parties, which is becoming more complicated and there is more fighting on the ground ... We will try to facilitate the talks to reach common ground," he said. Endit