World powers voice support for UN-backed peace deal in Libya

World powers on Sunday concluded a new round of talks in Rome aimed at ending the violence and political chaos in Libya, pledging to support the UN-brokered peace plan.

The ministerial-level conference is aimed to fuel the momentum of the warring Libyan sides, who have agreed on a Dec. 16 deadline to sign a final peace deal, thus stipulating the goal of a steady political transition and forming a national unity government.

Diplomats from 17 countries, including the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France, issued a joint statement, saying "a government of National Accord based in the capital Tripoli is urgently needed to provide Libya the means to maintain governance, promote stability and economic development."

UN Special Envoy for Libya Martin Kobler said he sensed a "big consensus" and was "impressed by the cohesion" shown during the meeting.

"Libya's economy is deteriorating and terrorism on the rise and nobody likes to see that," Kobler said, adding that he encouraged parties to come on the agreed deadline to sign the treaty.

Libya has been suffering a political crisis with two rival parliaments and governments battling for legitimacy amid a state of insecurity and anarchy years after the downfall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The elected parliament House of Representatives (HOR) is now on exile in the eastern city of Tobruk and the self-proclaimed General National Congress (GNC), backed by militia Libya Dawn, occupied the capital Tripoli.

The split government has lasted for more than a year. Libya's major public sectors also opened two branches and might further deepen the division.

The United Nations has sponsored dialogue sessions between Libyan rivals since September 2014, in and outside Libya, in order to end the country's political division.

A deal seems imminent to end the defacto anarchy and the security vacuum that has given rise to extremist groups like the Islamic State.

Some Libyan analysts, however, warned that despite a nice agreement on the horizon, the political would situation remained harsh and the peace process might derail.

Some political figures, especially those in the Islamist-dominated GNC, might not yield to the UN-brokered deal.

In fact, some lawmakers from both parliaments have initiated another deal dubbed "Libyan-Libyan" dialogue, far different from the UN structure.

Libya's local media reported on Sunday that hardliners in the GNC have sent a letter to the Italian Foreign Ministry, saying they will reject the UN peace deal.

In response to the opponents, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said during the press conference that those who disrupt the UN peace plan will "pay the price" and the UN-backed peace agreement is "the groundwork for permanent stability in Libya." Endit