"I hope that Haftar will attend [the conference]. His vision is definitely different from that of [Fayez] Sarraj… But this does not mean that the possibility of finding a path that would connect different points of view should be ruled out from the very beginning," Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said in an interview with La Stampa newspaper.
According to the Italian prime minister, Rome hopes that the Palermo conference will lead to a real breakthrough in the peace process in Libya.
"It is necessary to break the stalemate in which the Libyan political process has long been. But first of all, it is necessary to prevent the escalation of violence, of which we have had enough in recent months," Conte noted.
Medvedev to Attend Palermo Conference for Libya
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will take part in the two-day Palermo Conference for Libya that is devoted to the country's political stabilization and set to start later on November 12, a source at the Italian Prime Minister's Office told Sputnik.
"We are awaiting his arrival. All the days, preceding the conference, we had his visit confirmed, and a decision about his non-participation has not come," the source said.
The information was also confirmed by an organizer of the conference.
"It is assumed that [Medvedev] will arrive this evening," an organizer of the conference and representative of the Italian Prime Minister's Office told journalists.
READ MORE: Libyan Army Chief Haftar to Take Part in Conference on Libya in Palermo — Rome
The goal of the conference, as outlined by the Italian government, is to provide a contribution to the peace settlement and political stabilization process in Libya, with the agreement of the main political actors in the country. The conference will also seek to make specific contributions on security and economic measures that can aid stability in the country, as well as provide a discussion on the hosting of general elections in Libya.
Violence escalated in and around the Libyan capital of Tripoli in late August, as opposing militant groups renewed clashes with each other. Shortly after, the United States announced that it had brokered a ceasefire agreement, however, media reported that the warring sides continued clashes in violation of the accord.
READ MORE: Libya Turned Into Hell: Seven Years Without Gaddafi
Libya has been in a state of civil conflict since 2011, when the country's long-time leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown and killed. The country is currently divided between two governments, with the eastern part of Libya controlled by the parliament elected in 2014 and backed by the Libyan National Army, led by Haftar. Sarraj's government, in turn, governs Libya's western parts and is based in Tripoli.
