UN envoy outlines plan for unity govt in Libya

he United Nations envoy Bernardino Leon on Tuesday set out proposals to end the conflict between Libya’s two rival governments.
Leon proposed the formation of a presidential council made up of independent personalities acceptable to all sides, the UN Support Mission in Libya said.
The House of Representatives, the parliament elected last year which is meeting in Tobruk, would remain in place “under the full application of principles of legitimacy and inclusion”.
Deputies from a number of western Libyan cities, including the military powerhouse of Misrata which backs rival, Islamist-leaning authorities in the capital Tripoli, have boycotted the Tobruk parliament since its formation.
The UN said the proposal was “first and foremost Libyan, formulated after wide discussions with the parties.”
Leon arrived in the capital late on Monday for talks with the Tripoli authorities.
The UN and European Union have been pushing for an urgent solution to Libya’s divide, which has enabled the Islamic State extremist group to gain a toehold on the southern shore of the Mediterranean.