US secretary of state arrives for Libya conference

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday arrived at the Chancellery in Berlin to attend the international conference on the crisis in Libya.

He was welcomed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Germany is bringing together the key players in the long-running civil war in a bid to curb foreign military meddling, solidify a ceasefire and help relaunch a political process to determine the nation’s future.

Merkel has invited leaders from 12 countries, as well as the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union and the Arab League, to Sunday’s summit at the chancellery in Berlin.

Germany’s months-long diplomatic drive seeks to bolster efforts to stop the fighting in Libya by Guterres and his envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame.

Among those expected to attend are not only Pompeo, but also the presidents France, Russia and Turkey, as well as the prime ministers of Italy and the UK.

Other countries invited are the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Algeria, and China.

Libya's two main rival leaders: Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and General Khalifa Hifter are both expected to attend the conference too, according to German government officials.