Libyan peace dialogue pauses for consultation

The UN-sponsored dialogue between Libya's warring factions paused on Saturday, allowing time for representatives from rival parties to consult on plans to solve the ongoing crisis.

The UN special envoy to Libya Bernardino Leon concluded the three-day peace talks held in Morocco as "constructive and positive", stressing the dialogue will proceed to end the political crisis, Xinhua reported.

He did not disclose a specific date for the next round of talks.

During the talks in the last few days, the UN worked as a mediator and shuttled between Libya's different groups, trying to persuade them into forming a unity government.

On Saturday, the different factions met face to face for the first time and held a symbolic meeting.

The representatives have headed back to Libya and will elaborate on the new proposals to different groups.

Libya has been witnessing frayed political process since the 2011 turmoil, which toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi, and it is now juggling two rival parliaments, the secular House of Representatives and the Islamist-backed General National Congress.