Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shourky met Saturday in Cairo UN special envoy to Libya Bernadino Leon where they discussed the latter's efforts to encourage a national dialogue in Libya and to establish a national unity government, a statement on the foreign ministry's Facebook page said. Foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said the purpose of Leon's visit was also to inform Shoukry of the latest updates on meetings he is holding with Libyan parliamentarians who are currently in Cairo. Abu Zeid added that Shoukry underlined to Leon the need to implement the Skhirat agreement — based on UN sponsored peace talks which took place in Morocco in July between political factions and members of civil society — in light of the increasing threats surrounding Libya. After the talks in July, the Egyptian foreign ministry voiced its support for the initiative, saying that it salutes the "positive attitude and sense of responsibility" of those who signed the agreement. In February, Egypt carried out airstrikes against Islamic State positions in Libya to avenge the deaths of 21 Coptic Christians who were beheaded by group. Following the ouster of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi in Libya in 2011, various Libyan militias have been fighting the central government in a civil war that has ravaged the country. Anti-government rebels currently operate out of the city of Tripoli in the west while an internationally recognised government sits in Tobrouk in the east. source: Ahram online
