Italy FM: Europe will stop flow of arms to Libya

Italy's Foreign Minister on Tuesday insisted that a new European mission in Libya will use planes, ships and eventually soldiers on the ground to stop the flow of arms into the country.

Speaking after a meeting with the Russian Foreign and Defence Minister, Luigi Di Maio said that 27 European countries had agreed to patrol the skies above Libya via satellite and planes, as well as patrolling military ships, to stop any weapons arriving by sea.

"If we want to achieve the objective of a ceasefire in Libya, to stop this war, which is not a civil war but a proxy war, we have to stop the arrival of arms," di Maio said.

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to launch a new maritime effort focused on enforcing the UN arms embargo around the North African country.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed.

Since then the country has seen fierce fighting between rival governments - with forces in the west backed by United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France and Russia, and the Tripoli-based government in the east supported by Turkey, Italy and Qatar.

The fighting for Tripoli has taken a heavy toll on migrants and refugees sheltering in detention centers in the capital.

The United Nations says Libya's warring sides have resumed talks in Geneva aimed at salvaging a fragile cease-fire in the North African country.

The current cease-fire was brokered by Russia and Turkey on 12 January, but there have been repeated violations by all sides.

Following the meeting between the Russian and Italian ministers, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said: I'm convinced that by turning to (UN) Security Council our colleagues will be able to get the decision that will satisfy them and that will be in compliance with the norms of international law, including the prerogatives of the Security Council."

Libya’s warring sides resumed UN-brokered talks in Geneva on Tuesday, more than a week after they ended their first round of negotiations without striking a deal to pause the fighting that has concentrated around the Libyan capital, Tripoli.