Early last June, the United Nations mission announced that the Libyan parties had accepted the resumption of the talks of the 5 + 5 joint military committee emanating from the Berlin conference.
The mission said that the Libyan parties accepted the resumption of the ceasefire talks and the related security arrangements based on the draft agreement that the mission presented to the two parties during the committee’s talks last February, but no official statement was issued at the time from any party about the mission’s announcement.
On the eleventh of October, the Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Stephanie Williams, resumed the comprehensive Libyan-Libyan talks.
According to the announcement, the mission will facilitate direct talks between the delegations of the Joint Military Committee (5 + 5) in Geneva for the first time on the 19th of October.
The most prominent files
The Joint Military Committee will discuss several files, most notably the stabilization of the ceasefire, the release of detainees, the issue of the Petroleum Facilities Guard, the unconditional opening of transport and transportation lines between Libyan cities, and finally the security arrangements on the border of contact between the two parties.
The mission stressed the complete cessation of all military maneuvers and reinforcements in order to enable reaching a permanent ceasefire agreement, establishing a demilitarized zone in the cities of Sirte and Al-Jufra, and providing “an appropriate space for constructive political discussions.”
Williams’ announcement came after several rounds of the Libyan dialogue, held in several western and Arab cities between the delegations of the Tobruk Parliament and the Supreme Council of State, which began in the Swiss city of “Geneva and Montreux”, followed by a dialogue in the Moroccan city of Abo Zniqa, which resulted in the signing of an agreement for the occupation of the sovereign positions based on Article 15 of the Skhirat Agreement.
Shaky Cease-fire
Last September, the Supreme Commander of the Libyan Army, the President of the Presidential Council, Fayiz Al-Sarraj, announced a decision to cease fire and the stop of all combat operations throughout the Libyan territories, despite repeated violations of Haftar’s militias in the contact lines with the city of Sirte and Al-Jufra, and the Speaker of the Tobruk Parliament Aqeela Saleh announced a similar call to stop the fighting.
In the same context, Haftar’s spokesman last week refuted the reports indicating their intention to attack the cities of Beni Waleed, Tarhuna and Ghiryan, saying that they are committed to the political solutions presented on the Libyan scene now.
Good signs
A delegation of notables from the eastern region visited the city of Misurata earlier this week to discuss ways to release detainees, exchange prisoners and bodies, and form joint committees from the west, east, center and south to solve all outstanding problems.
The Presidential Council previously announced the release of a number of Haftar militia prisoners of minors under the age of eighteen last July, in a gesture of goodwill.
Security arrangements in the oil fields
Last September, the National Oil Corporation announced the lifting of force majeure from the safe oil fields and ports, provided that the state of force majeure remains on the oil fields and ports where the presence of Wagner mercenaries is confirmed .
Last Sunday, the corporation announced the lifting of the force majeure of the Al Sharara field after it had reached a “honor agreement” under which the Petroleum Facilities Guard was obligated to end all obstacles facing the Al Sharara field and to ensure that there were no security breaches and to enable the National Oil Corporation to commence production from the field.
