Libyan Leaders Set to Sign Peace Deal

Members of Libya's rival governments are expected to sign a peace deal Thursday, despite concerns over the legitimacy of the much-disputed pact.

The U.N.-brokered agreement, which is set to be signed at a ceremony in Morocco, is an attempt to end the instability that has marked Libya since the 2011 ouster of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The agreement calls for a new unity government within 40 days, with members from both the internationally recognized government in Tobruk and the Islamist-backed body in Tripoli.

Even with participation from both sides, it remains unclear how many people support the agreement and who would sign it.

On Tuesday, parliament leaders Aguila Saleh and Nuri Abu Sahmain met for the first time since the two sides set up competing bodies in Tripoli and Tobruk.

Both leaders said that whoever signs the peace deal will represent only themselves, leaving it unclear about how the rest of Libya's warring factions fit into the agreement.

The U.N., European Union, African Union, Arab League and more than a dozen nations issued a statement Sunday supporting the peace effort and welcoming plans for Libyan parties to sign it.

The statement came after a ministerial meeting in Italy, and included a commitment to Libya's sovereignty, pledges to support the unity government and calls for an immediate cease-fire.

Concerns about the instability are heightened because the Islamic State extremist group, which controls parts of Iraq and Syria, is attempting to use the unrest to gain ground in Libya.