"I asked the help of the Russian side to help us to bring east and west more closely together. Because they have to meet in order to bring about this government of national accord [and] in particular the role of Haftar has to be determined, and I know that Russia has good relations to the east, has good relations to general Haftar, and I briefed them on my difficulties right now in my outreach to the east, in particular with general Haftar," Kobler said.
Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who heads the armed forces loyal to the Council of Deputies, visited Russia in late June, where he discussed a number of issues, including weapons deliveries, with Russia's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
"If General Haftar says that there is no progress I would like to discuss it with him, I am a strong supporter of dialogue, I want to meet people, I want to see General Haftar. I want to have dialogue on the problems of Libya…But this dialogue requires that need to meet him, and since many months I try to see him and he always said no," he added.
Libya has been in a state of turmoil since 2011, when long-standing leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown after several months of civil war. The country was later contested by two rival governments — the internationally-recognized Council of Deputies and the Tripoli-based General National Congress.
On March 31, the long-anticipated UN-backed Government of National Accord in Libya started to perform its duties, but the government has so far failed to unite the country and remains unrecognized by eastern Libya.
