Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Saturday discussed with his German counterpart Heiko Maas the recent developments in war-torn Libya and Palestine.
In a telephonic conversation, the top diplomats discussed the statements issued by UN-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and Speaker of the east-based House of Representatives Aguila Saleh in which they called for cease-fire in the country, according to a statement released by the Egyptian foreign ministry.
Both the leaders stressed the importance of benefitting from this important step to reach a comprehensive political settlement in Libya that would help restore security, stability in the country as well as ending foreign interventions.
Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In June, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the recent developments in war-ravaged Libya.
Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had visited Germany to attend Libya conference and push for sustaining a fragile ceasefire and getting all foreign powers to withdraw from the conflict in the North African country.
German Foreign Minister’s office had earlier said that Haftar committed to a ceasefire and was willing to attend the conference after Maas visited the commander in his base in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments: the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital Tripoli and a government in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with the Haftar-led Libyan National Army (LNA).
Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, France and Russia support Haftar’s LNA, while the GNA is backed by Turkey and Qatar as well as Italy.