Germany stresses importance of confidence-building measures in Libya

   TRIPOLI, Feb. 9  -- German Ambassador to Libya Oliver Owcza on Saturday stressed the importance of confidence-building measures in Libya, which is witnessing deadly armed conflict between the eastern-based army and the United Nations-backed government.
   "Respect to all participants of this first round of intra-Libyan ceasefire talks. Encouraging signal that a date for continuation has been set," Owcza tweeted.
   "Any confidence-building measures are to the benefit of all Libyans. Likewise progress on the political and economic tracks (is) necessary," said the ambassador.
   The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Saturday said that the country's rival parties said they are trying to maintain the truce in and around the capital Tripoli at the conclusion of the first round of talks of the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) in Geneva.
   "UNSMIL takes note of the existing consensus around the importance of maintaining the truce that had been announced on 12 January this year, of the necessity to respect it and refrain from violating it," UNSMIL said in a statement.
   The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in and around Tripoli, attempting to take over the city and topple the UN-backed government.
   The fighting has killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 civilians to flee their homes.
   The rivals have agreed to a cease-fire on Jan. 12. However, both parties have accused each other of breaching the truce. Xinhua