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ROME, Aug. 8-- Italy on Tuesday asked the United Nations to step in to lead negotiations between opposing factions in Libya, a key step to stopping the Central Mediterranean route for thousands of illegal migrants. Stabilizing the north African country will help curb migrant flows to Italy, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni told UN Libya envoy Ghassan Salame. "Stronger Libyan authorities will make the common effort against traffickers in human beings more effective," Italian news agency ANSA cited the premier as saying. "Italy has been working for Libya's stabilization for some time," Gentiloni said during the meeting here. "I hope that the United Nations will give this process a decisive push." "Italy PM Gentiloni affirmed that Libya political process is Libyan-Led and UN will work alongside them based on their views for way forward," the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSIMIL) tweeted after the meeting, posting a photo of Ghassan and Gentiloni together. Salame, who also met with Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, praised the Italian Navy mission to support the Libyan coast guard in fighting migrant traffickers. "Cooperation and transparency between Italy and Libya is the most constructive way (forward)," Salame told a televised joint press conference with Alfano after their meeting. "We're on the right path in addressing a challenge that concerns us all," he said. For his part, Alfano said a single negotiation process on Libya led by the United Nations was necessary. "Negotiation formats in Libya must be reduced to one, the UN needs to take the leadership," Alfano told the press conference. | 
