Countries with interests in Libya will respect an arms embargo that is to be more strictly enforced than before, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after world leaders met to discuss the conflict.
Both the German leader and UN secretary-general António Guterres emphasised at a press conference in Berlin that the leaders agreed there could be no military solution to the ongoing conflict in the country.
Despite a 2011 arms embargo, several countries have been accused of arming rival groups in a conflict that began after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
The German chancellor said the truce agreed on would need to be accepted by the UN Security Council to give the embargo an “enhanced profile” internationally.
“We wanted to give a new impetus,” Merkel said, speaking about next steps for international discussions of the crisis.
Merkel said she thought enforcing the embargo would allow for political solutions to the conflict since it is “fuelled by proxies”.
“Member states along with regional and international organisations have sent the strong signal that we are fully committed to supporting a peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis,” said Guterres.
The UN secretary-general emphasised that all parties at the meeting agreed that there could not be a military solution.
“All participants committed to refrain from interference in the armed conflict or internal affairs of Libya. This is part of the conclusions and of course, this must be adhered to,” he explained.
The group also called on states to refrain from “any activities exacerbating the conflict,” Guterres said.
He said world leaders had agreed on a “truce” but that they now needed a real ceasefire and for countries to put “pressure” on the opposing sides to stop fighting. euronews