Egypt's military chief-of-staff Mahmoud hegazy (Al-Ahram)
Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, chief-of-staff of Egypt's armed forces, headed a meeting on Monday with Libyan public figures, media personnel and rights groups, issuing a joint statement of support for the principles declared in a recent Cairo conference to tackle Libya's ongoing civil conflict, reported Al-Ahram Arabic website.
On 12 December, Libyan officials and representatives from the country's various political factions gathered in Cairo, issuing a declaration of principles the following day, along with five proposed amendments to the UN-brokered Skhirat agreement of 2015, which aims at resolving the Libyan civil conflict.
The declaration asserted four main principles to be adhered to in Libya's transition: the preservation of a united Libya; support for state institutions; non-interference by foreign bodies; and the maintenance of a civil state.
The meeting on Monday also discussed ways to resolve the conflict by "spreading a culture of dialogue" and increasing efforts to "achieve a peaceful political agreement in Libya and maintain the country's unity."
The statement highlighted Egypt's efforts at ending the Libyan conflict and said they will be forming pressure groups to influence key international players to adopt the Cairo principles.
Last week, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry also met with his Libyan counterpart Mohamed Taha Siala to discuss the implementation of the UN-brokered Skhirat agreement.
The Libyan foreign minister stressed that the 2015 agreement is the cornerstone of achieving stability in the country and restoring Libya's state institutions.
The political conflict in Libya broke out following the ouster of Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, which left rival militias and factions battling for control.
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