Skhirat 2: New plot by Libyan Brotherhood to extend influence in the country

Amira Sherif

The Moroccan city of Rabat is expected to host next week Libyan political meetings between delegations of the House of Representatives based in eastern Libya and the Brotherhood-affiliated High Council of State in preparation for a second Skhirat Agreement that regional and international forces seek to conclude between the political parties in light of the outcomes of the Berlin Summit and the Cairo Declaration.

Sources in the Libyan House of Representatives revealed an upcoming meeting between the parliament delegation and the Brotherhood-backed council for consultations on activating the political process in Libya following the announcement of the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, reports have said that Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have political oversight, likening the upcoming meeting to the original Skhirat meetings that led to the December 2015 agreement, which Morocco considers the framework of reference for any future agreement.

Observers believe that the UN mission is working, in cooperation with internal and foreign parties affiliated with the Libyan file, to overcome the shortcomings of the first Skhirat Agreement. US Chargé d’Affaires Stephanie Williams confirmed that there are many gaps in that agreement, including the removal of supporters of the former regime from the political scene, especially as they hold a wide popular base.

The aim of the upcoming meetings will be to determine the priorities, especially the restructuring of the Presidency Council and the formation of a government of national unity, which called on the United States to have its headquarters in Sirte after it was cleared of armed groups and secured by police forces from all regions of the country.

The meetings will also discuss ways to activate a political solution and consult on the mechanism for changing leadership of sovereign institutions. The eastern-based Tobruk parliament delegation includes Yusef Al-Aqouri, Essam Al-Jehani, Idris Omran, Al-Hadi Al-Saghir, Misbah Douma, and Adel Mahfouz.

The Libyan House of Representatives in the east of the country announced earlier that it was agreed to form a new presidential council consisting of a president and two deputies, in addition to forming a new government in which the quota system would be based on the old Ottoman division of Libya into three regions. It also explained that according to the agreement, Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar will be replaced by Abdul Razzaq Nazhuri, while Aguila Saleh will replace Fayez al-Sarraj.

The terrorist Khaled al-Mishri, chairman of the Brotherhood-affiliated High Council of State, has previously stated that he is ready to meet with Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh in Morocco as part of the efforts made by Rabat to resolve the Libyan crisis.

Observers believe that Mishri’s readiness to meet Saleh reflects the Libyan Brotherhood’s preparedness for a second Skhirat Agreement despite their continuous escalations on the ground in an attempt to improve the terms of negotiations, especially after Turkey interfered on the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) behalf against the LNA. They add that it is not possible to talk about a second Skhirat Agreement before knowing the position of the Haftar’s LNA and the eastern-based House of Representatives, which requires that Turkey be outside the political equation in the country and making Sirte the seat of power as a condition for the resumption of political dialogue.

Mishri’s statements come with great contradictions, as he stated earlier that the GNA is able to extend its control over all Libyan territory during his reception of the Turkish and Qatari defense ministers.

In his statement to Moroccan media, Mishri said the Libyan crisis can only be resolved through diplomatic means, ruling out a military solution to the crisis, which contradicts the mobilization of the Turkish-backed GNA to attack Sirte, which is controlled by the LNA.

Mishri said that there are efforts being made by Morocco, under the auspices of King Mohammed VI, to push diplomatic efforts to resolve the Libyan crisis.

Informed sources have noted that there is a consensus between the Libyan parliament and the High Council of State regarding the formation of new authorities in accordance with the Saleh’s initiative, including the selection of a new president and two deputies for the Presidency Council to represent the country’s three different regions. The council had previously included nine members.

Meanwhile, the High Representative of the European Union and the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs paid two visits to Libya, in both the west and east of the country. Libyan parliament spokesman Abdullah Belhaq said that Saleh asked EU High Representative Josep Borrell to support the ceasefire and neutralize oil revenues by depositing them in a frozen private account until a unified authority is formed in Libya.

The two parties to the Libyan conflict signed the original Skhirat Agreement in December 2015, which resulted in the formation of the Government of National Accord and its Presidential Council, in addition to the extension of the parliament and the establishment of the High Council of State.

The LNA has fought fierce battles against the Turkish-backed GNA militias for 14 months, since May 2019, with the aim of controlling Tripoli and ending the militias’ control over the city.