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US, European leaders urge Libya rivals to sign peace deal

By AFP
Libya Libyan troops sit on an amoured personnel carrier during a demonstration calling on the international community to arm the Libyan army, on August 14, 2015 in Benghazi.  By Abdullah Doma AFPFile
OCT 10, 2015 LISTEN
Libyan troops sit on an amoured personnel carrier during a demonstration calling on the international community to arm the Libyan army, on August 14, 2015 in Benghazi. By Abdullah Doma (AFP/File)

Washington (AFP) - The United States and major European powers joined other world leaders Friday in urging Libya's warring parties to sign a proposed peace deal to create a national unity government.

"There is no more time to waste," said a joint statement released by the governments of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United States.

"Delays in forming a unity government will only prolong the suffering of the Libyan people and benefit terrorists seeking to take advantage of the chaos."

The governments gave their "full support" to the text of the agreement and to the leaders who would make up the new unity government under the accord.

The new government would be headed by Fayez el-Sarraj, a deputy in the Tripoli parliament, and include three deputy prime ministers, one each from the west, east and south of the country.

It would seek to end the political turmoil that has existed since August 2014, when a militia alliance that includes Islamists overran Tripoli, forcing the internationally recognized government to take refuge in the east and creating a second national administration.

The proposed deal was put forward by UN envoy Bernardino Leon following what the Western powers called "prolonged and difficult negotiations."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also appealed to Libyan leaders to sign the accord, as did EU officials.

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