Un Envoy To Libya Threatens To Freeze Morocco Talks

United Nations (U.N.) Special Envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon threatened to freeze ongoing dialogue talks between Libya's political rivals in Morocco if clashes did not stop on the ground in Libya, a spokesman for the Tobruk-based parliament said Saturday.



"Leon threatened to freeze the ongoing dialogue in Morocco, if military escalation continued on the ground back in Libya," Issa Abdel-Kayoum said at a press briefing in Morocco, following a meeting with the U.N. envoy.



Nevertheless, Leon has not made a statement in this regard yet.



Earlier Saturday, confrontations escalated in Fashloom, a district of Libyan capital Tripoli, between the Islamist Dawn of Libya militia, which is backed by the Tripoli-based parliament, and Dawn of Libya troops, which are backed by the Tobruk-based parliament.



Delegates of the Tripoli-based parliament could not be reached for an immediate comment on Abdel-Kayoum's remarks.



Libya's political rivals are currently involved in U.N.-sponsored talks in Morocco.



Libya has remained in a state of turmoil since a bloody uprising ended the decades-long rule of strongman Muammar Gaddafi in late 2011.



Since then, the country's stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of government, each with its own institutions and military capacities.



Vying for legislative authority are the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and the Islamist-led General National Congress, which convenes in Tripoli.



The two assemblies support two rival governments respectively headquartered in the two cities.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Rabat