Libya UN Geneva talks hit hurdle as Tripoli postpones

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – U.N.-backed negotiations between rival Libyan factions looked in doubt Yesterday after one of the delegations said it would postpone a decision on whether to participate until Sunday.

Western governments hope talks in Geneva this week would ease a crisis in Libya where two rival governments and their forces are vying for control of the North African oil producer three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

The internationally recognized government of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni has been based out of eastern Libya since the summer after a faction called Libya Dawn took over Tripoli and set up its self-declared government and legislature.

Tripoli-based forces said their legislature had postponed a decision over joining the Geneva talks until Sunday because of concerns about how the negotiations were organised.

“We do not reject dialogue, but we believe that the UN rushed to determine the date of the dialogue and its mechanisms,” said Omar Hmaidan, spokesman for the Tripoli legislature on Monday. “We have decided to postpone the vote to participate or not to next Sunday.”

The decision from Tripoli appeared to push back the chance of any meaningful talks between the two sides.

“The U.N. office at Geneva is still planning on hosting the talks that have been announced, but cannot confirm at this stage exactly when they will start,” said U.N. spokeswoman Corinne Momal-Vanian.

A delegation from the elected House of Representatives, representing Thinni’s government, was already in Tunisia waiting to fly to Geneva, according to a parliament representative.