Libya: Turkey Adamant to Support GNA as EU Urges Exit of 'Foreign Forces'

Source: AA

The European Union called on all parties involved in the Libyan conflict to end military operations and engage in peace talks in a joint statement signed yesterday (June 9) by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Italy.

The document addresses international actors as well, urging the "withdrawal of all foreign forces, mercenaries and military equipment supplied."

However, Turkey's top government officials say they are determined to continue its support to the Government of National Accord (GNA), which has gained significant ground in the field against the Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) since Ankara's involvement in the war.

"Haftar will be history if support ends"

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said after a cabinet meeting yesterday that "We will stand with our Libyan brothers, not the putschists, not the imperialists."

Ankara would "continue to frustrate both domestic and foreign coup enthusiasts and lovers of terrorist organizations," he remarked. "We'll continue to support our Libyan brothers until peace, tranquility and justice are established throughout Libya."

Hulusi Akar, the Minister of National Defense, also said today that Khalifa Haftar "would be history" if he loses support in the wake of multiple recent military advances by the GNA.

"As the support behind him is withdrawn, lifted, Haftar will certainly disappear there," Hulusi Akar told A Haber, a pro-government broadcaster.

The Cairo Declaration

A political initiative was agreed on Saturday (June 7) between Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Khalifa Haftar and his LNA.

The Cairo Declaration calls for a ceasefire in Libya as of Monday and proposes a new assembly to form the House of Representatives and Presidential Council.

Neither the members of Libya's UN-backed government nor their international allies were present at the conference in Cairo.

However, the EU statement describes the Cairo Declaration as "constructive commitments to halt the fighting, resume dialogue and reach a ceasefire within" the Berlin process.

CLICK - 'Turkey's Military Consultancy to Libya's UN-Recognized Government to Continue'

Last year, several high-level meetings were held in Germany's capital to put an end to the Libyan conflict, with the participation of France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The negotiations are known as the Berlin peace process.

According to the EU, this UN-backed negotiation procedure is the only acceptable way forward because it is based on peaceful and multilateral talks.

Following the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, a new government was founded in 2015 under a political deal led by the UN.

Turkey is aiding the GNA with military training, cooperation, and advisors, according to a previous statement by Akar.

In March, the GNA, supported by Turkey, launched the "Operation Peace Storm" to counter attacks on the capital Tripoli and recently regained strategic locations, including Al Watiya airbase and Tarhuna city. (VK)