UN-mediated Libya Crisis Talks to Resume Wednesday: Lawmaker

UN-mediated talks in Morocco between Libya's rival parliaments aimed at forming a national unity government will resume Wednesday, a lawmaker for the internationally recognised legislature said.

Mohammed Sharif Elouafi spoke after UN envoy Bernardino Leon held a new round of consultations with representatives of both sides.

Leon "has agreed to a request by members of the (elected) parliament to postpone the negotiations to ensure they are solid," said Elouafi.

"We are now waiting for next Wednesday to come so that members of the parliament submit their proposals," he added, without further details.

The parliament, elected in June, is based in the eastern city of Tobruk, while the rival Islamist-backed General National Congress (GNC) is in the capital.

The two sides are discussing the form a unity government would take and the terms of a cessation of hostilities in the violence-wracked North African nation.

On Friday the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL) tweeted that Leon held consultations with the parliamentarians present in Morocco, where they had indirect and then direct talks last week.

"Leon holds consultations w/ # LibyanDialogue participants present in Morocco on substantive & organizational issues of the process," it said.

Leon did not formally confirm that talks would be postponed to Wednesday but, as he emerged from consultations with Tobruk-based parliamentarians he told reporters the "possibility" was there.

"The decision must be taken following consultations with all the participants. It could be a possibility," he said, before heading into talks with GNC representatives.

Leon said time was needed for MPs from the parliament still in Tobruk to be updated on the latest developments.

GNC representative Mohammed Saleh al-Makhzum criticised the delay but said his group would wait to hear out Leon.

And GNC member Omar Hamiddane told reporters the Tripoli-based body had asked Leon "to clarify his position" on the nomination last week by the Tobruk parliament of anti-Islamist General Khalifa Haftar as new army chief.

Haftar's appointment had raised fears that it could derail efforts by Leon to push ahead with the political dialogue.

He is opposed by the Fajr Libya militia alliance which seized Tripoli last summer.

Hamiddane denounced Haftar, who launched an offensive last May against Islamists in Libya's second city, Benghazi, as a "war criminal".