UN Special Representative Bernardino Leon is hopeful of signing a Libyan peace deal on Sep. 20. The Geneva talks aimed at uniting the North African country's two warring governments have entered the final phase. Leon met negotiators from the General National Congress (GNC), Libya's Tripoli-based government, for five hours on Friday. A new round of talks with the GNC and its rival, the internationally recognized government based in the eastern city of Tobruk, will be held in Skhirat, Morocco on Wednesday. What took place in Geneva last week was the latest round in long-running peace negotiations aimed at ending the fighting in Libya. In fact, the UN-led attempt to restore peace and stability has been going on for nearly a year. Both have been eluding this nation ever since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in a Western-assisted popular uprising in 2011. In the immediate aftermath of the ouster of the longtime dictator, the problem was the challenge posed by numerous armed militias to the authority of the central government. The picture changed completely one year ago when an armed faction called Libya Dawn took over the capital city Tripoli and set up its own administration there, expelling the internationally recognized government that now operates from Tobruk. So now we have a situation where two rival governments and armed factions owing allegiance to either of the two groups or none are battling for the control of this oil-rich nation. The UN wants the agreement that would put an end to this anomalous situation to be signed before Sep. 20, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. A unity government is to come into force a month later. The two-year transitional government would work toward organizing parliamentary elections, under the terms being discussed. "What we are trying to do, what the (UN) Special Representative is trying to do, is to put Humpty Dumpty back together again," says Deborah Jones, US ambassador to Libya. Given that the target date for an agreement has been repeatedly pushed back, it is difficult to share the UN's optimism or think this Humpty Dumpty can be put back together again within the time frame suggested by the world body. In July, Libya's political leaders signed a UN-brokered power-sharing deal, but the Tripoli government refused to participate. Even now, the most difficult work still remains unfinished. Both factions are yet to tackle the question of who would be in the government and State Council. According to the UN envoy, some names had been proposed for prime minister and vice prime minister. In response to a question from reporters, he clarified that he had received the names from the internationally recognized government but not yet from the GNC. There are other problems. One is deep rifts between the two main political camps and within each camp. Then there is the question of who will led a unity government. Libya needs a unifying figure — someone who is politically and ideologically neutral. A government of national accord has been promised unreserved support by some key European Union players, including the UK, Italy and France but it will lack legitimacy and credibility unless it has the broad-based support from the Libyan people. The mandate of the House of Representatives, seat of Libya's internationally recognized government, expires in October and the UN wants an agreement to come into effect before that. Some fear a bigger confrontation between rival militias if no deal is reached immediately. The same will likely be the case even if a deal is rushed.
