Algeria hailed on Sunday the cease-fire announced by Libyan government army in response to the recommendations of UN-backed peace talks held last week in Geneva, the official APS news agency reported.

"The cease-fire is a positive step which paves the way for a negotiated political solution to the crisis hitting Libya through dialogue among all Libyan warrant parties, except terrorist groups," said Abdelkader Messahel, the Algerian minister for Maghreb and African Affairs.

The minister said his country "will continue supporting brotherly Libyans to reach a political solution which preserves the unity and territorial integrity of Libya and assures stability and cohesion of the Libyan people."

Earlier in the day, the Libyan army declared "a cease-fire starting from the midnight (2200 GMT) of Sunday in all land, sea and air fronts," but saying it will continue "operations to prosecute terrorists who do not recognize the right of Libyans to build a national state and do not recognize the democratic principles of this country."

On Friday, Islamist militia coalition in Libya also announced a cease-fire, but the Islamist-backed parliament, the General National Congress, said on Sunday that it would join the UN-sponsored peace talks only if they are held inside Libya. Endit

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)