MOSCOW, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte discussed the situation in Libya during a phone call on Wednesday, the Kremlin has said in a statement.

Putin emphasized the importance of coordinating with Libyan parties on all the parameters of a settlement plan being worked out through the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

Interest was expressed in continuing joint work aimed at achieving long-term normalization in Libya, the statement said.

The Libyan conflict escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments -- the UN-backed Tripoli-based Government of National Accord and a Tobruk-based government allied with the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar, who seeks to take over Tripoli.