Libyan Islamist-backed parliament agrees to participate in national dialogue

Libya's Islamist-backed parliament, the General National Congress (GNC), announced Thursday that it will participate in the UN-sponsored political dialogue, once the Geneva dialogue participants give initial consent to hold talks in Libya.

The UN-sponsored peace talks aim to end the current political crisis through truce and the formation of a united government.

"Congress approves of holding dialogue in any city approved by the parties. However, approval is conditional with stipulations announced earlier, and they consist of accepting the Supreme Court ruling regarding the unconstitutionality of the House of Representatives, and considering the GNC as a legitimate body," a Congress member said.

The United Nations announced earlier initial approval of the parties to hold the talks in Libya. The parties have entrusted the head of the UN mission to launch consultations regarding the political dialogue with Geneva dialogue parties, provided that logistics and security conditions for holding talks in Libya are met.

The GNC did not participate in the first and second rounds of the Geneva dialogues. The expired parliament stressed its refusal to participate without the above-mentioned conditions being met.

The second round of Geneva dialogues, held two days ago, resulted for the first time in discussions amongst political parties on details and ideas for the formation of a consensual unified national government to end conflict over political legitimacy in the country.

After the departure of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the country has reached a tumultuous deadlock with two rival governments and two parliaments, which are supported by both secular and Islamist forces respectively.

The armed forces affiliated with the two sides have been warring since May, leading to the death of at least 1,000 people and over 100,000 displaced persons. Endit