TRIPOLI/BRUSSELS: Rival Libyan political leaders could face European asset freeze and travel sanctions if they are deemed to be deliberately blocking attempts to broker a settlement between the country’s warring factions, diplomats said on Friday.

After months of negotiations, the UN envoy has presented Libya’s rival factions with a proposed national unity government, but hard-liners on both sides have resisted the power-sharing deal and talks have stalled.

The United Nations has warned about possible sanctions before and the European Union has previously considered travel bans and asset freezes against five Libyan military commanders threatening violence against a future government.

Lawmakers in both the elected House of Representatives Parliament in eastern Libya and the rival General National Congress in Tripoli in the west of the sprawling North African OPEC state have delayed any official vote on the deal.

Western powers say a UN-backed agreement for a unity government is the only way to end the conflict between the rival factions and their armed allies competing for power four years after rebels overthrew Muammar Qaddafi.

They have been prodding both sides to accept the peace plan and promised more aid, worried that militants and people-smugglers have gained ground in Libya’s chaos just across the Mediterranean from mainland Europe.

“Sanctions are back on the agenda. The option of UN sanctions would be better, but if we can’t do that we can go through the EU. We will at some point need to look at who meets the conditions for these sanctions,” one diplomat said.