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Libya talks in Moscow progress but fail to get ceasefire deal: Russian foreign minister

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a meeting in Moscow, Russia January 13, 2020. Pavel Golovkin/Pool via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Talks aimed at agreeing an unconditional and open-ended ceasefire in Libya failed to achieve a breakthrough on Monday despite making good progress, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters.

Lavrov said some sides in the conflict had signed the ceasefire deal, but that Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) faction which has been trying to conquer the capital Tripoli, had asked for more time to consider the matter.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Haftar had asked until Tuesday morning to consider the deal.

Libya’s warring leaders held indirect peace talks in Moscow on Monday with Russia and Turkey urging the rivals to sign a binding truce to end a nine-month-old war and pave the way for a settlement that would stabilize the North African country.

Reporting by Polina Ivanova; Editing by Andrew Osborn

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