Libya talks on new unity government gather pace

Talks on changes to Libya’s unity government could yield results in the coming weeks, putting the north African country on a path to stability, the UN envoy said on Wednesday.
The UN-backed government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj was installed in Tripoli last year but has failed to assert itself further east, where strongman General Khalifa Haftar holds sway.
UN envoy Martin Kobler told the UN Security Council that talks on “possible amendments” to the political agreement, and notably on Haftar’s future role, have made progress in the past two months.
“I am confident that a format will be found in the next weeks within which these questions can be decided upon and recommendations can be put forth for approval to the relevant institutions,” Kobler said.
Any changes must be endorsed by the Libyan House of Representatives, which has refused to back the Sarraj government.
“2017 must be a year of decisions and political breakthrough,” said Kobler.