1st LD: Libyan parliament fails to vote on unity gov't

Libya's parliament on Monday failed to hold a session to vote on granting approval to the UN-backed government of national accord.

Monday's session was supposed to discuss granting confidence to the government and amendment to the constitutional declaration. Parliament Speaker, Agila Saleh, held a long closed-door meeting with his two deputies, as the rest of the members waited for the session to begin, media reports said.

Several media reports also said that there was tension in the session. However, head of the parliament's media department denied. Also, a spokesman for the parliament refuted reports circulating around about the postponement of Monday's session to next Monday.

No official statement was issued regarding a new date for the voting session.

The appointment of the government of national accord was based on a UN-sponsored peace agreement signed by Libya's political rivals in order to end the country's political division.

Martin Kopler, UN Special Envoy to Libya, said on Sunday he would meet with the Speaker of the parliament in order "to encourage all to follow this way, to endorse the Government of National Accord." Enditem