On Libya's deal

The United Nations and European Union are welcoming a UN peace deal initialled by some Libyan factions as a step towards restoring stability in the North African country, despite the opposition boycott.  The deal was reached on Friday in Morocco. But the situation still leaves questions upon the strength of the Moroccan deal, experts claim.
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Melissa Chemam for Rfi English


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Libya has until now two rival Parliaments due fierce fightings and contested elections.

The elected parliament is based in the eastern city of Tobruk.

It's the one which initialled the agreement in Morocco, along with some members of political parties, civil society, local officials, and representative of the international community. But the rival opposition from the Tripoli Parliament, led by islamists, did not take part in the deal, despite long negotiation brockered by UN envoy Bernardino Leon.

For the International community, the deal is STILL one of the first encouraging step forward in months of crisis, as explains the spokesperson for European Union Foreign Affairsn, Catherine Ray:

"An important step towards restoring peace and stability in Libya has been taken today.  With the initialing of the political agreement, the House of Representatives, the independents and representatives of Misrata proved their determination to find a peaceful solution to the crisis that, for almost one year, has divided, impoverished, and inflicted suffering on the Libyan people.  They have taken the future of Libya in their hands, in a responsible and courageous way."

But the opposition is not part of the deal. The General National Congress (GNC) - the opposition - is set up by a militia alliance, and ruling the Parliament based in Tripoli, and indeed boycotted the negotiations. They include Islamists known as Fajr al Libya, who seized the capital last August.

Therefore, according to expert Hasni Abidi, the agreement is mainly symbolic and only pave the way for further negotiations:

"The deal that has been signed states that there should be a national unity government with independent personalities. On the ground we are very far from it: there are still two parliaments and two governments. According to the UN, the Tripoli Parliament has to dissolve itself and let the Tobruk Parliament, elected and recognised, rule the country, but the Tripoli Parliament refuse to step down".

The situation on the ground remains violent, adds Hasni Abidi:

"Remains also a great danger: the militias, the once from General Haftar, Al karama, as well as islamists from Fajr Libya, which also reject the deal and pressure the Tripoli Parliament for them to boycott the Morocco negotiations and any agreement.
This can explain why UN's special Envoy, Bernardino LEON, was in such a hurry to sign a deal.
But what was needed was to wait until the negotiators could convince at least a part of the opposition in Tripoli. Then we would have reached a political agreement that would have represented both Parliaments and not some lame weak deal with no real implication on the ground".

For experts, if the deal is a step forward, it's in no way an end to the Libyan crisis.

Enemy parties never met and their representives in Morocco have been contested.

The Libyan parties now have an historic responsibility, according to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius. And Most European partners agree.

The Tobruk government is the one recognised internationally.

It has welcomed what it called a "huge breakthrough", urging all Libyan parties to overcome their differences and finalise the deal.

However, more talks will very probably be necessary to bring about a more sustainable situation in Libya.


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