Libya talks in Geneva end without breakthrough

Many Libyans fear that a failure to set a path to elections and resolve an existing dispute about control of an interim government will thrust the country back towards territorial division or conflict. Since the planned December election was abandoned, Libya's rival factions have moved to a standoff over control of government with both sides backed by armed forces in western areas of the country. Disputes over the eligibility of several controversial candidates were the trigger for the collapse of December's election.

Libya talks in Geneva ended on Thursday without making enough progress to move towards elections, the United Nations Libya adviser Stephanie Williams said in a statement.

The talks between the House of Representatives and High State Council legislative bodies were aimed at agreeing a constitutional basis and interim arrangements for holding elections that were originally scheduled for December 2021. Many Libyans fear that a failure to set a path to elections and resolve an existing dispute about control of an interim government will thrust the country back towards territorial division or conflict.

Since the planned December election was abandoned, Libya's rival factions have moved to a standoff over control of government with both sides backed by armed forces in western areas of the country. Williams said that in the Geneva talks and earlier meetings in Cairo the two sides had resolved previous disputes on the make-up of a future legislature, the powers of a future president and government, and how to allocate state revenues.

"Disagreement persists on the eligibility requirements for the candidates in the first presidential elections," Williams said, adding that she would make recommendations on alternative ways forward. Disputes over the eligibility of several controversial candidates were the trigger for the collapse of December's election.

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