Libyan peace talks resumed in Morocco amid hope to reach deal

The UN-backed Libya political talks resumed in Morocco late Thursday amid hopes that the new round will be the last between the country's rival parties.

UN envoy Bernardino Leon said in the wake of the fresh round that the UN facilitation is "getting closer to a solution." "The fact that all the participants in the dialogue have accepted the fourth draft as a basis for a final solution is extremely encouraging," he said.

Previewing what he hopes will be the last round of the peace talks between the rival Tripoli and Tobruk governments, Leon told journalists that "we are really looking forward to our discussions in the coming days and the possibility to have an agreement which is accepted by everybody."

He added that the meetings had begun hearing remarks on the text by the General National Congress, the Tripoli-based parliament.

Expecting some of the other participants to arrive soon, Leon said that he would give a more concrete reading of what those remarks are about and the possibilities of finalizing a text which would be broadly accepted "as soon as possible."

Among other points, the parties are expected particularly to reach an agreement on the formation of a year-long mandate transitional government of national unity, in which a council of ministers headed by a prime minister and two deputies will have executive authority based in Tripoli.

Libya, a major oil producer in North Africa, has been witnessing a frayed political process after former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil.

The country is now deadlocked in a dogfight between the pro-secular army and Islamist militants, which has led to a security vacuum for homegrown extremism to brew.

The United Nations has brokered several rounds of dialogues between the conflicting parties since last September, but clashes remained despite a truce agreed on by factions. Endit