Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/618165
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2015 6 News 6 News -\SS*VSV\Y=LYZPVU C: M: Y: K: 0 0 0 100 C: M: Y: K: 0 100 100 0 C: M: Y: K: 50 100 100 20 TUNA AQUAMED MFF Ltd. - Hangar, Triq it-Trunciera, Marsaxlokk MXK1522 T: 2247 5000 E: contact@ebcon.com.mt www.mff.com.mt Farmed in Maltese offshore waters and delivered to you with special attention to freshness and to the highest standards. LOOK FOR OUR QUALITY MARK IN YOUR SUPERMARKET, FISHMONGER OR RESTAURANT FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. EAT FRESH EAT HEALTHY ENJOY OUR SEA BREAM Malta is the 'only' interlocutor Malta only interlocutor for Libyan factions opposing UN deal • UN envoy turned down last- ditch talks with leaders of rival Libyan parliaments • Foreign minister denies new UN-backed government will take seat in Malta CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Four years after Muammar Gaddafi's fall, Lib- ya is deeply fractured, with a self- declared government in Tripoli and an internationally recognised one in the east – each backed by coalitions of armed militias and tribes. However, the GNA deal is not supported by the influential lead- ers of the two rival parliaments, in- dicating that the GNA will not be formally sanctioned by the Tripoli parliament (GNC) and the inter- nationally recognised HoR. Following the two sides' meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Valletta on Tuesday, foreign min- ister George Vella said that while the government fully supports the UN process, Malta is "proud" to be the only interlocutor for the UN deal detractors. The opposition to the deal will make it very difficult for the GNA to take seat in the country's capi- tal, Tripoli, as envisaged by the UN deal. While ruling out the possibility of the government be- ing "exiled" in Malta, Vella said if the GNA fails to enter Tripoli this could spell more uncertainty. "The GNC has clearly said that it does not accept the GNA so we cannot expect them to make way for the new government," Vella said. While reiterating Malta's support for the UN-brokered deal, Vella called for caution and "wider con- sensus" to avoid the pitfalls that plagued other splintered coun- tries. He explained that the leaders of the HoR, president Aguila Saleh Issa and the president of the Islam- ist-controlled GNC, Nuri Abusah- min, demanded to meet in Malta. Vella said that a number of coun- tries were "alarmed" by the meet- ing but he reassured the EU and other major players that Malta was only offering a safe venue for the two sides since they did not con- sider Libya to be safe. "We gladly accepted the request of the presidents of GNC and HoR, who met for the very first time in Malta," Vella said, adding that while Malta did not participate in the meeting he conveyed the presi- dents' message to UN envoy Mar- tin Kobler. "When the meeting was over, I called Kobler to inform him that the two presidents had agreed that they would not support the agree- ment but were open to hold fur- ther talks with the UN." Just before midnight on Tuesday, Abusahmin and Aguila Saleh were prepared to hold a video confer- ence with Kobler. However, Vella added that much to the Libyans' disappointment Kobler informed him that "it was too late" and re- fused to hold further talks before the signing of the agreement on Thursday. Both rival factions are divided on the UN agreement and the UN has been accused by senior Libyan po- litical leaders of carefully selecting members from both parliaments favourable to the deal, which was signed by the GNC and HoR's dep- uty presidents. Underlining Malta's role as an interlocutor for all sides, Vella stressed the need for a broad agree- ment between all sides to strength- en Libya's institutions, bolster bor- der control and defeat ISIS. The Tobruk government embas- sy's media attaché, Ahmed Lamin, An image posted to the Libya airforce Facebook page shows armed American soldiers at the Wattiya airbase