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Putin arrives at conference on Libya in Berlin

The conference will begin after a joint photo session of the heads of delegations from the participating nations

BERLIN, January 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived to the Federal Chancellery in Berlin, the venue of the international conference on Libya. He was welcomed by Chancellor Angela Merkel at the entrance.

The conference will begin after a joint photo session of the heads of delegations from the participating nations. Organizers expect the conference will last at least four hours.

"An exchange of opinions on Libyan crisis regulation is planned, namely regarding the soonest establishment of a ceasefire, the reconciliation of the warring sides and the launch of an expansive political dialogue under the auspices of the UN," the Kremlin press service said ahead of the conference.

Along with Putin, the conference will be attended by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisis, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, Crown Prince Of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Al Nahyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the European Council Charles Michel. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles, director of the Office of Foreign Affairs of the Communist Party of China Yang Jeichi, Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat. Leaders of Libya’s conflicting parties, Prime Minister of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj and Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar, will also take part.

The conference is closed for the press. However, the Kremlin said earlier its key agreements would be committed to paper in a final document. Russian acting Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists on Friday that the Berlin conference’s final documents were practically ready. They are in full accordance with the decisions taken by the [UN] Security Council on Libyan regulation. "They [these documents] do not include any points contradicting the Security Council’s decisions," he said.