Libya: World powers ready to arm unity government

World powers have said they are ready to lift an arms embargo on Libya and equip the unity government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and other groups.

The joint decision, announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday, followed a meeting in Vienna which was attended by diplomats f-rom more than 20 countries.

The US, four other permanent UN Security Council members and the more than 15 other nations participating in talks on Libya said they are "ready to respond to the Libyan government's requests for training and equipping" government forces.

Misrata business owners struggle to revive the economy

"The Government of National Accord has voiced its intention to submit appropriate arms embargo exemption requests to the UN Libya Sanctions Committee to procure necessary lethal arms and materiel to counter UN-designated terrorist groups and to combat (ISIL) throughout the country," Kerry said.

"We will fully support these efforts while continuing to reinforce the UN arms embargo." 

The conference was co-chaired by Kerry and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni.

While the statement spoke of intentions, the fact that all five permanent Security Council members back the plan to arm the internationally backed government means that it is unlikely to face significant opposition f-rom any quarter.

The Libyan unity government has said it will submit an arms embargo exemption request to the UN, to be able to gain the necessary arms to combat ISIL throughout the country.

In February, Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Dairi had asked the UN to end the embargo on weapon sales, telling the Security Council that the UN "shouldered a legal responsibility" to help in the rebuilding of Libya's army.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting f-rom Vienna, said there was a sense of political clarity for the first time.

"Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj is going to come out of this meeting with unprecedented international support," he said.

READ MORE: Libya - The story of the conflict explained

"The lifting of the arms embargo is going to allow his government to get more weapons in the fight against ISIL which has expanded its influence in the northern part of Libya, basically at Europe's doorsteps.

"At the same time, there is a strong commitment f-rom the international community to target, by sanctions, anyone who stands against the fulfillment of this goal, particularly the rivals of Fayez al-Sarraj.