Egypt will hold back but support the eastern-based Libyan army and administration as international moves are made to reach an agreement over the future of Libya, according to one analyst.

The United Nations-recognized Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj is at odds with General Khalifa Haftar, who, along with his administration and army, controls much of the east of the country.

It is inevitable that all parties involved in trying to stabilize the country must deal with Haftar, said Barak Barfi, a research fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington-based think tank.

Some argue Haftar, with his strong armed forces, is vital to facing down militants, including ISIS. He helped Egypt bomb those same militants, Barfi said. Egypt has launched air strikes against what it claimed were Islamist bases in the south and east of Libya.

But Egypt has in more recent times "held back," Barfi told Maghreb News Wire.

Reports this week said Egypt will host the "reorganization" of Libya's army, the force led by Hafter.

A statement signed by the Egyptian Committee on Libya said that Libyan military officers who met in Cairo recently chose Egypt as a starting point for plans to unify the army, according to ABC News.

"The army is open to discussion with all parties excluding terrorist organizations," one army officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told ABC News. "The army doesn't recognize any unofficial armed group but has opened discussions in the hope that militias will disband and join as individuals."

There is no doubt that Haftar still has a good relationship with Egypt, Barfi said, adding that a lot of former Qaddafi loyalists attended a recent conference in Cairo.

"They are working with them but the bigger conflict is with the Islamists," Barfi said."They (the eastern army) will side with the nationalists, not only in Libya, or Egypt, but across the region."

As a note, Barfi said Egypt has "no problem" with a nationalist like Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

But there is support from beyond, including within the European Union. France organized a late-July meeting between al-Sarraj and Haftar. United Kingdom Foreign Minister Boris Johnson met Haftar in late August.

"They bring him in, they legitimize him," said Barfi. "It enhances his stature."

And Russia is involved.

"Russia is more in tune with the international community (in Libya) than in Syria," Barfi said. By supporting Haftar, Russia "wants to level the playing field and make sure they have a horse in the race."

A compromise without Harftar is unavoidable, according to Barfi.

"He has a lot of support on the ground, and he is fighting Islamists," Barfi said. "He played it right."

"There is a possibility of moving to a solution to this problem between al-Sarraj and Haftar," he added. "Haftar is pursuing Islamists. Because of these variables, there is a better chance to solve these issues than in the past."