The Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called Wednesday on Khalifa Haftar to halt his offensive on Tripoli.

Conte, in a meeting with Haftar in Rome, expressed concern over the continuing escalation in Libya and condemned the airstrike on Tripoli Military College.

Conte also warned of the consequences of the Libyan conflict on the region and urged Haftar to abandon the military solution, saying the only solution to Libya's crisis is political.

Conte also talked with Haftar about the Putin-Erdogan call on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Tripoli by all parties of the conflict.

Meanwhile, Haftar arrived in Rome on Wednesday and met with Conte, who also invited the Head of the Presidential Council Fayez Al-Sarraj to come for a separate meeting as he was in Brussels meeting with European Union officials.

A source close to the Presidential Council told The Libya Observer that Al-Sarraj didn't know Haftar was in Rome and when he did he canceled his Rome flight and changed destination to Tripoli.

Commenting on the refusal of Al-Sarraj to meet with Conte, an Italian opposition senator said "this is a slap that assures that the Italian government has failed."

"There was an unprecedented diplomatic chaos in Italy. Inviting a head of a government without telling him that his rival is in the same city at the same time means either that our government thinks Italy is the best as an international mediator or our politicians are just immature. Yet, both options are devastating." She added.