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Italy hails Libyan deal for unity gov't

Xinhua, December 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Italy on Thursday hailed a deal for a government of national unity signed by delegations from the two Libyan factions based in Tripoli and Tobruk which was signed in the Moroccan city of Skhirat.

"Italy is ready to make its contribution to Libya and so are other countries, including members of the European Union (EU)," Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said at the signing ceremony in Skhirat.

"Today we are taking a first, decisive step. The future of Libya is in your hands, we count on you," Gentiloni said when addressing Libyan leaders, who had signed a preliminary agreement at a Rome conference on Libya last Sunday.

The agreement was "not just a piece of paper" but "a solemn commitment to help the Libyan people," Gentiloni said.

Representatives of the international community at the Rome conference had endorsed a UN-backed deal aimed at bringing Libyan rival factions to a unity government to ward off the advance of the Islamic State (IS).

The conference on Libya was held following a three-day forum named Mediterranean Dialogues at which political, economic, security, cultural and media leaders from some 40 countries met in the Italian capital to discuss regional crises.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi earlier this week highlighted that Libya was central for his country's foreign policy.

Renzi said Libya was considered by Italy as a "keystone of the policy in the Mediterranean" and "Italy will be strongly committed in Libya." Endit