U.N. to hold Libya's national conference as planned -envoy

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - The U.N. special envoy to Libya said on Saturday he was determined to hold Libya's national conference on time despite ongoing fighting in the North African country.

The United Nations is planning to hold a conference in the southwestern town of Ghadames from April 14 to 16 to discuss elections as a way out of the country's eight-year-long conflict.

Ghassan Salame told reporters in Tripoli the United Nations has been working to prevent an escalation of the crisis in Libya.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami, writing by Aziz El Yaakoubi, editing by Alexandra Hudson)