UN envoy sees "light at the end of tunnel" in Libya

The United Nations envoy for Libya Bernardino Leon said he finally saw "the light at the end of the tunnel" in the country, in a statement after meeting Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni Tuesday.

Both officials sounded mildly hopeful a more comprehensive deal among Libyan parties might be found in the near future, after a pact for a national unity government was signed on July 12 in Morocco.

"The pact is an important step, because for the first time we can see the light at the end of the tunnel," Leon told a joint press conference.

However, the diplomat warned several important steps remained to be done such as forming the national unity government, ensuring safety and finalizing a peace agreement.

According to the UN envoy, a strong military mission on the ground would be replaced by a mission to train Libyan forces after a national unity government is put in place.

Gentiloni agreed that "securing the stabilization of Libya does not means sending thousands of soldiers in the country."

"It rather means doing a very sophisticated and precise work of training, monitoring and surveillance, which our military is arranging together with our allies," he added.

"Much of that work, however, will depend on Libyan requests," Gentiloni said.

The UN-brokered deal signed earlier this month in Morocco was initiated by a number of Libyan factions fighting for the control of the war-torn North African country.

These parties included representatives of the municipal councils and the Tobruk-based parliament, but not of the rival Tripoli-based General National Congress (GNC) government.

"As such, we will make every effort to encourage a further involvement of those forces who have not yet signed the agreement, to begin with the GNC in Tripoli," Gentiloni told the press conference.

However, he warned those factions shirking or boycotting the July 12 agreement "will be isolated by the international community."

The meeting between Leon and Gentiloni took place as new of four Italians being kidnapped in the Libyan western city of Mellitah was reported on July 20.

The four are employees of the Italian Bonatti construction company.

"According to our current information, it would be premature and imprudent to give political explanations of the motive behind the abduction," Gentiloni said.

Up to Wednesday, no one claimed responsibility for the abduction. In February 2015, Italy closed its embassy in Tripoli, and warned its citizens in the country to leave for security reasons. Endit