Egyptian, Moroccan FMs discuss development

CAIRO: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita discussed on Monday the latest developments in war-torn Libya.
In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry said the discussions came to coordinate joint efforts to advance political settlement in Libya.
During a phone conversation, Shoukry affirmed Egypt’s stance in support of efforts aimed at achieving a consensual political solution that preserves Libya’s sovereignty and contributes to countering terrorism, extremism and destructive foreign interventions, the statement said.
The discussions also tackled the ongoing endeavors to stabilize the recently announced cease-fire and move forward towards reaching a comprehensive political settlement of the crisis in the country. The two ministers agreed to continue consultation and intensify their communications with the Libyan political circles and international partners.
On Aug. 21, UN-backed Prime Minister of Libya Fayez al-Serraj and Speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives Aguila Saleh called for cease-fire in the country, presidential and parliamentary elections, and resumption of oil exports.
Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments with warring forces, namely the UN-backed government based in the capital Tripoli, and the other in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar.–Agencies