Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, is committed to a ceasefire and is willing to participate in Libya Conference in Berlin on Sunday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Thursday in a tweet. 

Quoting Maas's words after his meetings in Benghazi, Libya, the tweet went on to read: "Haftar has signaled his readiness to contribute to the success of the Libya Conference in Berlin and is willing to participate." 

"He (Haftar) has repeated his commitment to observe the existing ceasefire," the minister noted. 

Haftar's office was not available for comment. But informed sources in the Greek capital Athens said Haftar was expected to have talks there on Friday with Greece's prime minister and foreign minister during a stopover on his way to Berlin. 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also take part in the Libya peace conference, the U.S. State Department said Thursday, adding that Pompeo will voice support for truce efforts. 

Turkey is sending military forces to Libya to support the Tripoli-based UN-recognized government, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, days before a summit in Berlin which will address the Libyan conflict.

Speaking in Ankara, Erdogan added that Turkey would continue to use all diplomatic and military means to ensure stability to its south, including in Libya. Erdogan is due to meet leaders of Germany, Russia, Britain and Italy on Sunday to discuss the conflict. 

He also said Turkey would start granting licenses for exploration and drilling in the eastern Mediterranean in 2020, in accord with a maritime agreement with Libya. He said Turkey's Oruc Reis ship would begin seismic activities in the region.

Erdogan's remarks come after Haftar refused to sign a ceasefire agreement in Moscow earlier this week. Erdogan warned on Tuesday that Turkey will not refrain from "teaching a lesson" to Haftar if his eastern Libyan forces continue attacks against the Tripoli-based government.

Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Tripoli-based government, announced Thursday he would attend the international conference in Germany. Haftar, on the other hand, has not yet confirmed his participation.

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Turkey said Wednesday it was still confident the ceasefire in Libya would hold despite the impasse.

Haftar walked away from talks in Moscow aimed at finalizing a ceasefire orchestrated by Russia and Turkey, which came into force Sunday.

The joint Turkish and Russian initiative is the latest international effort to broker an end to fighting between Haftar's forces based in the east of the country and the government in Tripoli.

"It is still too early to say that the ceasefire has fallen apart," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said during a briefing in Ankara. "The work related to this continues."

Akar said Turkey supported "a ceasefire, peace, a political solution."

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Turkey supports the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli, which has been under attack by Haftar's forces since April.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said later on Wednesday that Haftar "doesn't want peace" despite international efforts.

Speaking at a think tank event in Ankara, the minister told the audience: "He wants a military solution rather than a political process."

Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the latest developments in Libya among other regional issues Wednesday in a phone call, the Turkish presidency said, but offered no further details.

Since former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in a 2011 uprising, the North African country has been in turmoil, with outside powers providing support to rival factions.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his ruling party's legislators in Ankara, Turkey, January 14, 2020. /AP Photo)