Malta offers to host Libya peace talks

Malta has offered to host Libya peace talks during an extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council Meeting that was convened on Friday in Brussels at the request of the High Representative President Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Malta expressed concern at the current developments around the crisis in Libya, and reaffirmed Malta’s conviction that a political and diplomatic solution based on the UN track is the sole way ahead, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"Malta reiterated its rejection of foreign interventions in Libya and joined in the call for de-escalation in and around Libya. A solution for peace, security, stability and ultimately prosperity in Libya requires a durable and comprehensive ceasefire, and an effective implementation of the 2011 arms embargo on Libya," the statement read.

A drive to broker a Libyan ceasefire has been launched involving Europe, Russia and Turkey to end the risk of Libya collapsing into all-out war.

Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have each backed opposing sides in the Libyan conflict but together have called for a ceasefire by midnight on 12 January. 

"Malta asserted that, at all times, the international community speaks with one voice for the welfare of the Libyan people thereby safeguarding the delicate balance of security and stability that currently prevails in the region," the Maltese foreign ministry said.

Malta offered to assist in the process with the hosting of talks that have the potential to bring peace in Libya and stability in the region.  This offer was submitted in reaction to the High Representative’s request to member states to contribute tangibly to a solution, not simply highlighting concerns.

The meeting proceeded with a discussion on the Iran/Iraq scenario in the presence of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, were concerns were raised on the dialogue with Iran, the recent events on Iraqi soil and the effects that the situation is having on the civilian population.