By Mucahit Aydemir
NYON, Switzerland (AA) – The Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) meetings in Switzerland under the leadership of the UN, were extended for another day after participants could not reach a consensus.
The LPDF sessions, which were expected to result in a decision on the constitutional basis for elections on Dec. 24, were supposed to end Thursday.
Participants decided to form a committee to reach a consensus among members who presented different proposals on the third day of sessions which lasted until midnight Wednesday, according to information received from the LPDF members.
The meetings began Monday, seeking to build constitutional safeguards acceptable to all sides ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections that aim to consolidate the peace process.
As part of the UN-led dialogue, meetings of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee were held on Oct. 23, 2020, in Geneva. As a result of the meetings, a permanent cease-fire agreement was signed between the legitimate Libyan government and delegations affiliated with warlord Gen. Khalifa Haftar.
Within the scope of the political process that started after the cease-fire agreement, the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum decided in November that elections will be held in December 2021.
Libyans hope the new unity government will end years of civil war that have engulfed the country since the ouster and killing of strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2011.
*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz
