CAIRO, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call from Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Sunday and they discussed developments in Libya after Cairo's recent initiative for a political settlement in the war-torn country, said the Egyptian presidency.
Sisi reiterated Egypt's support for reinstating Libyan national institutions, obliterating criminal and terrorist militias, putting an end to illegitimate foreign interference, and restoring stability and security in Libya, said Egyptian presidential spokesman Bassam Rady in a statement.
Sisi and Conte reaffirmed during their phone conversation "keenness to end the Libyan crisis through reaching a political solution that paves the way for the return of security and stability in the country," according to the statement.
The talks came a day after Sisi announced a Cairo-led initiative to end the Libyan internal conflict following his meeting in Egypt with Libyan eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar and Tobruk-based parliament speaker Aguila Saleh.
Dubbed Cairo Declaration, the Egyptian plan proposes implementing a cease-fire between Libyan warring parties starting from June 8, disbanding militias, pulling out foreign forces, electing a presidential council representing all Libyans and drafting a constitutional declaration to regulate elections for the later stage.
Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments with warring forces, namely the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital Tripoli and eastern-based Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA).
Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), France and Russia support Haftar's LNA, while the GNA is backed by Turkey and Qatar, in addition to Italy.
Approved by Haftar and his Libyan partners, the Cairo proposal was welcomed by several countries including the United States, Russia, France, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Jordan. Enditem
