Russia calls on all Libyan forces to search for political solutions - senior diplomat

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Moscow calls on all Libyan forces to search for political solutions, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on Monday. He also highlighted the importance of the fight against terrorism. "We are working with the United Nations, the UN Special Envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame. We maintain contracts, I met with Salame in Tunisia," he said. "We hold telephone conversations with all Libyan social and political forces active in the country’s west, east and south. We continue to express our concern about the situation at United Nations Security Council meetings, calling for resolving all emerging issues through political means. But at the same time, there is also a need to consolidate efforts to fight against terrorism because terrorists control vast areas of the country," the senior Russian diplomat pointed out. When asked by TASS whether any Libyan representatives planned to visit Moscow, Bogdanov said he had no information on the matter. "You should ask them if they have such plans," he noted. The Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar continues its advance towards the city of Tripoli. Haftar announced the beginning of an offensive operation on April 4. His troops are moving towards Tripoli mostly from the south where they are engaged in heavy fighting with units loyal to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj. Last week, Bogdanov held telephone conversations with Haftar and Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord Ahmed Maiteeq. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Moscow believes "it is the Libyan people who must decide their future, launching an inclusive and business-like dialogue without any artificial time frames that some external forces are trying to impose on them." Read more