LNA’s Haftar Says to Sign Deal With GNA’s Sarraj in Berlin If Conditions Met – Source

ATHENS (Sputnik) – The LNA commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, has said during his talks with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias that he would sign a deal with Fayez Sarraj, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), at the upcoming Berlin conference on Libya if certain conditions are met, a diplomatic source told reporters.

"Haftar has said that there are some preconditions that he has previously put forward to sign the agreement", the source said, adding that Haftar did not specify them.

The negotiations between Haftar and Dendias lasted more than an hour and a half. Later on 17 January, Haftar is also expected to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The UN-led conference on the Libyan crisis settlement is scheduled to be held in the German capital on 19 January. Libyan National Army (LNA) head, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, and Fayez Sarraj, the head of the rival GNA, are also expected in Berlin.

Last Monday, both Haftar and Sarraj participated in talks aimed at achieving a ceasefire deal in Moscow. However, Haftar left the Russian capital without signing the agreement, explaining that he needed additional time to look into the deal.  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced on 16 January that he would dispatch troops to Libya in support of the GNA.

Libya has been torn apart between the two rival administrations since 2011, when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed, with the LNA controlling the east and the Tripoli-based GNA sitting in the country’s west.