World leaders seeking an enduring ceasefire in Libya agreed at a summit to impose sanctions on those breaking an arms embargo and are considering whether to send a multinational force to the country.
The conference in Berlin of 11 countries was aimed at bringing an end to the fighting between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli led by the prime minister, Fayez al-Sarraj, and the Libyan National Army in the country’s east led by Gen Khalifa Haftar.
While both sides to the conflict have agreed to nominate five members to an UN ceasefire monitoring committee, they are still far apart and not yet willing to negotiate directly.
The presidents of Russia, Turkey and France joined other global leaders at the talks hosted by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and held under the auspices of the UN.
The summit’s main goal was to get foreign powers wielding influence in the region to stop interfering in the war – be it through weapons, troops or financing.