Libya’s Tobruk parliament agrees to join unity government, rejects power-sharing

Libya’s internationally recognised parliament, based in the port city of Tobruk, has agreed to join a national unity government, but rejected a proposed power-sharing scheme with a rival government which controls the country’s capital, Tripoli.

Parliamentary spokesman, Faraj Bohashim, told reporters in Egypt that the parliament was willing to negotiate but would not accept a deal that compelled it to share power with a second legislative body.

“Even if we find that 50 per cent of the draft’s points are positive, one item could ruin all the other good points,” Bohashim said.

He accused the international community and the United Nations of what he called “legitimising militias and deadly objects” in reference to the Libya Dawn militia groups and the Tripoli-based parliament.

“The international community gave up on Libya in its war against terrorism, and sided with the party that rejected election results and preferred to resort to arms,” he said.

The spokesman stressed that “the Libyan parliament will address the United Nations formally on the fourth draft submitted by the UN Mission in Libya during the previous round of talks.”

Bohashim pointed out that the Libyan parliament did not withdraw from the talks.