GHADAMES, Libya
Representatives of Libya's warring rivals have agreed to hold a new round of talks aimed at resolving the country's conflict, the UN mission said Wednesday.
The mission said in a statement that Bernadino Leon, the Special Representative of UN Secretary-General, met with representatives of Libya's warring rivals in the northwestern oasis town of Ghadames.
"For the first time, all invited participants attended the talks, which were conducted in a constructive and positive atmosphere," the mission added.
According to the statement, Leon held separate meetings with the Libyan representatives and hailed the "positive spirit" of the participants.
The mission noted that discussions in the meetings focused on the points agreed on in the agenda of the dialogue, including proposals for organizing the work ahead and agreement on a clear timetable.
"Participants agreed to continue the discussions at another round of dialogue in the coming days," the mission said.
It added that participants reiterated their commitments to the principles of the Feb. 17, 2011 revolution, which toppled long-time strongman Muammar Gaddafi.
Earlier in the day, some Libyan sources said the country's warring factions set a timetable for holding direct, UN-backed talks.
They told The Anadolu Agency that Leon had met separately with representatives of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives and the Tripoli-based General National Congress in Ghadames, where both sides had agreed to the timetable of the talks.
The sources added that each assembly would be represented by four people at the talks, the date and venue of which have yet to be set.
The sources noted that the direct talks would be accompanied by meetings between Libyan tribal leaders and militia commanders.
Libya has remained dogged by political instability since the 2011 ouster and death of Gaddafi.
In the more than three years since, rival militias have frequently locked horns, often bringing violence to Libya's main cities, especially Benghazi and capital Tripoli.
The sharp political divisions have yielded two rival seats of government in Tripoli and Tobruk, each of which has its own institutions.
