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German soldiers stand guard at the Chancellery before the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020.  REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke - Sputnik International

Live Updates: Peace Conference on Libyan Conflict Takes Place in Berlin - Video

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Earlier this week, Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar agreed in principle to an armistice following a meeting with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

A peace conference on Libya is kicking off in Berlin at the Federal Chancellery attended by the rival faction heads commander Khalifa Haftar and head of the UN-endorsed government in Libya Fayez al-Sarraj.

The gathering is also being attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso.

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19:52 GMT 19.01.2020

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed said on Sunday that Abu Dhabi supports security and stability in Libya on the basis of non-interference, praising the role of Germany in hosting a conference on Libya, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM).

19:49 GMT 19.01.2020
19:29 GMT 19.01.2020
18:27 GMT 19.01.2020
18:21 GMT 19.01.2020

"In the light of recent events, President Michel Aoun will chair a security meeting in Baabda on Monday with participation of Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab, Interior Minister Raya Hassan and heads of defense and security services", the Lebanese presidency said in a press release.

According to the text, the meeting will be focused on the escalation of clashes between protesters and law enforcement in Beirut, as well as ways for preserving stability in the country.

18:04 GMT 19.01.2020

"The conference continues. Turkey is represented by the minister of foreign affairs, Cavusoglu", a source in the German Cabinet said.

16:52 GMT 19.01.2020
15:43 GMT 19.01.2020

"The Prime Minister and President discussed the ongoing conflict in Libya. The Prime Minister stressed the need to bring an end to the fighting and for all parties to support peace talks to determine a way forward for the Libyan people", Downing Street said in a press release.

According to the text, Johnson and Macron also discussed the JCPOA on Iran's nuclear development — a topical issue on the agenda of both states given that they, along with Germany, voiced an intention to trigger the deal's dispute resolution mechanism this past Tuesday.

"On Iran, the leaders reiterated their commitment to the JCPOA and also acknowledged the need to define a long-term framework to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon. They agreed on the importance of de-escalation and of working with international partners to find a diplomatic way through the current tensions", the press release read.

15:33 GMT 19.01.2020
14:40 GMT 19.01.2020

"There are no specific agreements yet. But in principle, we are constantly in contact with him [Haftar]. He came to Moscow several times, and I think will come again", Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters on the side-lines of the Berlin conference on Libya.

14:39 GMT 19.01.2020

"That depends on them, I do not know. I doubt they will speak to each other because in Moscow, they refused to talk to each other, so we had to be the mediators", Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and Africa, who serves as the deputy foreign minister as well, said when asked if the leaders of the two conflicting sides could have a bilateral meeting at the conference in Berlin.

14:27 GMT 19.01.2020
14:27 GMT 19.01.2020

"We face a clear risk of regional escalation. I truly believe that there is no military solution in Libya. Now is the time for immediate and decisive action to prevent a full-fledged civil war. Such a conflict could lead to a humanitarian nightmare and leave the country vulnerable to permanent division", Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres said.

The secretary-general called on all those involved in the conflict in any way to support the ceasefire.

The Berlin conference communique includes a "concrete follow-up mechanism to maintain the momentum and track progress", the UN chief said.

14:24 GMT 19.01.2020

"There are mischief-makers who want to derail [the ceasefire] but I think that the serious leadership of Libya will have enough will and will be able to comply with the ceasefire, build a political dialogue that we believe should be fully inclusive", Bogdanov, who serves as the deputy foreign minister as well as the presidential envoy, told reporters.

13:56 GMT 19.01.2020

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke briefly with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, before the start of the international conference on Libyan conflict settlement in the German capital on Sunday, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

Russia's acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also took part in the conversation. A few minutes later, the three of them sat down at the negotiating table in the hall where the conference is being held.

13:01 GMT 19.01.2020

"To implement the other stages of the political process and solution, Haftar's aggressive stance must come to an end", Erdogan said at the start of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

12:56 GMT 19.01.2020

"Chancellor Merkel and Foreign Minister Maas held talks today [Sunday] in the German Chancellery before the conference on Libya with both Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and General Khalifa Haftar", the German cabinet said in a statement.

12:24 GMT 19.01.2020

"We took a very positive step during the meeting in Istanbul, we called on both parties in Libya to observe a ceasefire, to cease hostilities, and despite the fact that certain incidents still occur, both sides have heeded our call and large-scale military actions have stopped", Putin said during a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan before Sunday’s Libya peace conference in Berlin.

Putin stated that this was a positive result and had helped create the necessary conditions for Sunday’s summit in the German capital. The Russian president also noted the intra-Libyan talks in Moscow on Monday that concluded with the LNA refusing to sign a ceasefire deal, after the UN-backed Government of National Accord agreed to the terms.

"We worked energetically together to bring a positive conclusion to the meeting between the conflicting parties in Moscow. The very fact that they arrived in Moscow, conducted negotiations not only with us, but with each other, I think that we should thank our colleagues, the foreign and defence ministers, who made every effort to ensure that the conflicting parties agreed and supported a joint agreement", Putin remarked.

The Russian president added that Moscow had not lost hope a signed ceasefire deal could be reached in the near future.

"Indeed, not everything was successful. One of the sides has so far, in any case, not supported it [a ceasefire agreement], but we do not lose hope that dialogue will continue and we will sincerely strive to ensure the resolution of the conflict", Putin stated.

12:19 GMT 19.01.2020

"Four technical groups are being established that will monitor the implementation of the Berlin agreements at different stages. Participants will exchange information and address any arising issues. The work of these groups will be private", a source at the summit said.

11:50 GMT 19.01.2020
11:21 GMT 19.01.2020

"Turkey and Russia facilitated the introduction of a ceasefire starting 12 January. It is holding. Yes, there are some incidents from time to time, but it is being maintained. So our countries have to take part in further monitoring, just as other countries that are participating in the conference", a source at the talks in Germany said.

11:09 GMT 19.01.2020
10:15 GMT 19.01.2020

Pompeo's schedule includes meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. The secretary also plans to meet with the foreign minister of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, and Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates.

There are no bilateral meetings with Russia's representatives in Pompeo's schedule.

10:11 GMT 19.01.2020
10:08 GMT 19.01.2020

"Morocco has always been at the forefront of international efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis ... Morocco understands neither the criteria nor the motivations behind the choice of the countries participating in this meeting", a statement published by the country's state-run Maghreb Arabe Presse read.

At the same time, Rabat reaffirmed its commitment to contribute to the search for a peaceful solution to the Libya crisis.

09:47 GMT 19.01.2020
09:38 GMT 19.01.2020
German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Republic of the Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso at the beginning of the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020.  REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke - Sputnik International
09:29 GMT 19.01.2020
German police officers prepare for a protest against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan participating in the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020.  REUTERS/Christian Mang - Sputnik International
09:23 GMT 19.01.2020
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