The two-day UN-brokered Libya peace talks concluded here today with rival parties expressing optimism that the dialogue was approaching its final stages.
The talks were presided over by Bernardino Leon, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).
"The talks were held in a positive atmosphere, with the different parties emphasising the need to set aside partisan agendas and uphold Libya's higher national interests," said a statement from UNSMIL.
"The parties expressed optimism that the dialogue process was approaching its final stages. In this regard, the parties noted that the participation of a number of political party leaders in part of the two-day consultations heralded a positive step towards the convergence of the various dialogue tracks, particularly those of the political parties and political activists, as well as municipalities," said the statement.
Libya, which plunged into chaos after the fall of Muammer Gaddafi in 2011, currently has two rival parliaments vying for power as well several militia groups battling for control of the country's vast resource wealth.
Libya's elected parliament has been marooned in the eastern town of Tobruk since May 2014 when Islamist-aligned Misrata militia took over Tripoli.
"The mood is very good. In this process you cannot expect after a couple of hours of discussion to see the results. It is a good beginning but the mood is very important and having everyone around the table is very important," Leon had told PTI earlier in the day.
The next round of talks will begin end of next week, most probably in Morocco.
