Members of the Misrata’s Council of Elders were in east Libyan town of Guba yesterday to build bridges with their counterparts from the region in support of the “Libya-Libya” Dialogue being pursued by the presidents of the both the General National Congress (GNC) and the House of Representatives (HoR).
The Misrata elders’ council, unlike the municipal council and much of the city, remains loyal to the GNC which set it up. However, its present efforts in support of the internal dialogue were being largely dismissed in Misrata today. “They will not succeed, because the Libya-Libya dialogue is aimed purely at disrupting the UN agreement”, a local official said.
The meeting was not just about which dialogue to support. The Misrata group, led by Ibrahim Ben Gashir, was told by the eastern leaders that Misrata should recognise Operation Dignity led by Khalifa Hafter and put an end to vessels from Misrata ferrying supplies to militants in the east.
The Guba visit follows fast on the heels of one to the town by HoR president Ageela Salah who encouraged tribal elders in the area to support the internal dialogue instead of the UN-brokered one approved in Skhirat last week and the Government of National Accord (GNA).
The HoR president has been rallying opposition to the GNA in the east. According to his media advisor, Fathi Marimi, it is bearing fruit. He claimed today that many elders across the east of the country now supported Saleh in opposing the Skhirat agreement and the GNA.
He also reported that following their meeting with the HoR president in Guba, a group of tribal leaders and sheikhs from the east would be travelling to Tripoli tomorrow to meet counterparts from the west and south to set up a committee to support the “Libya-Libya” dialogue.
By Libya Herald reporters.
