The European Commission welcomed the declaration of a ceasefire in Libya on Friday and called for it go into immediate effect and for peace talks to resume.

"The agreement of a permanent ceasefire is key for the resumption of a political dialogue," EU foreign policy spokesman Peter Sano told reporters.

"It's very important, as well, to see this accord put into effect."

Earlier, Libya's main factions -- the Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and the rival eastern Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east -- had emerged from five days of talks at the UN in Geneva.

They had signed what the UN's envoy to Libya described as "a complete, countrywide and permanent ceasefire agreement with immediate effect".

Libya has been wracked by conflict for nearly a decade, since the overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising.

Since then, the North African country has been riven by local conflicts and divided between the two bitterly opposed administrations.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online