Libyans await results of meetings, visits and election date

Muhammad al-Sallaq, a former spokesman for the Libyan Presidential Council, said they were waiting outside for the outcome of the current meetings of leaders of Libyan political and military parties, a roadmap and an election date. He added to Sputnik that the meetings in Cairo between Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Chairman of the Presidential Council Muhammad al-Manfi and Chancellor Akila Saleh are important in terms of consensus on the way to solve and the way out of the current situation. He indicated that the resumption of the meetings of the committee (5+5) in Sirte to discuss the issue of the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign fighters is moving forward in the military direction, especially with regard to the integration of the armed forces. He explained that what Cairo is doing is a big boost to get out of the crisis, and that the breakthrough that has been on the political track lately continues: “It is important that the international motive be the motive of what Cairo is doing in order to resist any anticipated attempts to obstruct.” As for CIA Director William Burns’ visit to the capital Tripoli in the last few days, Al-Sallak made it clear that the visit was honest. Al-Sallak believes that “the international community has an obligation to cooperate with the efforts that Cairo is making and that the United Nations has not welcomed what happened in Cairo, which raises questions and calls into question international and international efforts to bring stability to Libya.” Libyan sources said the US official’s visit was aimed at discussing the Russian presence in the Libyan dossier and trying to push the parties to cut ties with the Russian side as part of the pressure Washington is putting on many international parties. Others from the Libyan capital Tripoli are expected to arrive in Cairo in the coming days, sources said, while the head of the Supreme State Council, Khaled al-Mashri, is expected to visit Cairo at a later date.