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Op-Ed: UN peace talks on Libya to resume in Algiers

The UN says that the resumed talks will focus on formation of a national unity government as well as security measures. While these are the first talks between the factions hosted in Algeria, last month, it hosted talks of Libyan political figures who had called for an immediate halt to military operations. The UN seems most adept at these calls to stop violence and condemnations of violence. It has even threatened sanctions against those who interfere with the peace process but to no avail.
In particular, the commander of the internationally recognized government of Prime Minister Abduallah al-Thinni has twice bombed a Tripoli airport before peace talks and mounted an offensive to capture Tripoli during the talks but nothing is done about it. The UN has yet to threaten him with sanctions or Al-Thinni who supported the offensive. The reason is clear, Haftar has the support of powerful figures such as Egypt’s president el-SIsi and also the UAE. The US has recently released military aid to Egypt to the tune of $1.3 billion.The aid includes the release of 12 F-16 aircraft, 20 Harpoon missiles, and up to 125 M1A1 Abrams tank kits. The Obama administration also promised that it would ask for $1.3 billion in aid from Congress each year. Some of this weaponry and aid will no doubt go to help the Arab coalition bombing Yemen but also Haftar could receive some of these goodies as well.

The aid release is no doubt meant to counter recent military agreements between Egypt and Russia. There has been no improvement in Egypt’s human rights record. The US is ostensibly in favor of a unity government in Libya and had not supported removal of an arms embargo on Libya until the unity government is established. However, Obama and the western community have done nothing so far to reign in Haftar, and supplying Egypt with arms will simply encourage him to continue his offensive against the Tripoli government.

There is no news release from UNSMIL yet about the resumed talks.The most recent news condemns the clashes in western Libya in the Warshafana area between the two rival government forces. As always it calls for an immediate ceasefire. Apparently there are some efforts underway to broker a ceasefire. UNSMIL also called on the parties not to take actions that would jeopardize the success of the talks: In this regard, UNSMIL calls on the parties to safeguard the national institutions by refraining from taking any steps that could compromise the neutrality of these institutions that are crucial for Libya’s economic survival.
The Al-Thinni government has recently taken action to compromise the neutrality of the Liibyan National Bank and also the National Oil Company. It has fired the head of the National Bank which had been attempting to remain neutral by paying the salaries of both government employees and receiving revenues such as that from oil from exports no matter where they were from. The Al-Thinni government has also set up a rival National Oil Co. and plans to ship oil independently of the existing NOC which has been essentially neutral also in the conflict. These two actions together leave little hope for a negotiated solution. Yet what has the UN done. It will not even come out and say what the Al-Thinni government has done, let alone blame it. Of course the UN says nothing because the big powers who control the UN do not want it to. When Gadaffi bombed those rebelling against him the west was up in arms and demanded a no-fly zone to protect the people. Horror! Gadaffi bombed his own people. When General Haftar a US citizen linked to the CIA bombs his own people and condemns peace talks as discussions with terrorists, the US continues to talk about a unity government and a cessation of hostilities the same narrative as the UN.
A delegation of lawmakers from the Al-Thinni government in Tobruk are to travel to Washington “as part of UN efforts to create a stable unity government ” State Department spokesperson Jeff Rathke said: “We look forward to discussing their work with the UN Special Representative (Bernardino) Leon in support of the UN-led process to constitute a national unity government,” The US is not talking to the other side. So will the US disown the Tobruk government and their armed forces commander Khalifa Haftar for endangering the peace talks and hindering the formation of a unity government? It is possible but I would not bet on it.

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