INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas made an unannounced visit to Tripoli on Monday, where he met with his Libyan counterpart, Mohamed Taher Siala. Mass said that the world must not be lulled into inaction by the “deceptive calm” in Libya and should find a way to end the conflict.
Following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011, Libya is embroiled in a power struggle between the GNA and the forces of General Khalifa Haftar who controls the eastern part of the country.
“We are currently witnessing a deceptive calm in Libya,” Maas told a news conference with his Libyan counterpart, Mohamed Taher Siala. The GNA, backed by Turkey, managed to repel the attack launched by Haftar in April 2019 against Tripoli and last June it regained control of the entire northwestern part of the country. Haftar’s forces, backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia, withdrew to Sirte, 450km east of Tripoli.
According to Maas, “both sides and their international allies are continuing to arm the country on a massive scale and are maintaining conditions for a cease-fire.”
The next battle in Libya is expected to take place in Sirte, located between Tripoli and Benghazi. Both sides have deployed forces around the city.
The German Minister advocated the creation of a “demilitarized zone around Sirte” in order to “talk about ways out of this very dangerous situation.”
He said he had mentioned the possibility in talks with GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Saraj and Interior Minister Fati Basaga. After Tripoli, Maas will visit the Emirates which, as he said, “have some influence on General Haftar.”
Referring to the migrants and the conditions of their detention in Libya, Maas said that “traffickers’ networks must be tackled effectively.”
“We have been asking for the closure of detention centers for a long time,” and the installation of immigrants in urban centers, he explained.
On his part, the GNA Foreign Minister again objected to the European Union’s naval mission Irini that aims to enforce a UN arms embargo on Libya. It deprives the GNA of military aid “to counter the aggression” of Haftar, but it “does not monitor the arrival of arms and mercenaries by air, sea and land via Egypt” in support of Haftar, he said.
Source (in Greek): CNA, APA-MPA, AFP
Also read:
Ukraine | Increase in defence spending by 367 million euros for the acquisition of drones
Kiev is increasing spending by 15.5 billion hryvnias (367 million euros) to bolster Ukraine’s armed forces with drones, according to…
Russia | Cluster bombs hit residential area in Odessa
Images from Russia’s strike in the heart of Odessa, which hit the so-called “Harry Potter Castle”, a former politician’s mansion now…
France | Industries prioritize orders of anti-aircraft missiles
The Armed Forces Ministry of France has instructed industries involved in the production of Aster anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic…
HNDGS | Bilateral joint training between Greece and Poland – Photos
The bilateral joint training between the Armed Forces of Greece and Poland, in the wider area of Attica, was completed on Thursday…
Sielman | Contract for support of the HAWK anti-aircraft system
The US Department of Defence has awarded a $49.9 million contract modification to Greek company Sielman S.A. to provide diagnostic and…
Hellenic Entrepreneurs Association | Ideas & Positions for the Promotion of Greek Entrepreneurship
The members of the Hellenic Entrepreneurs Association (E.E.N.E.) participated in a roundtable discussion entitled “Ideas, Positions…
Ukraine | Increase in defence spending by 367 million euros for the acquisition of drones
Kiev is increasing spending by 15.5 billion hryvnias (367 million euros) to bolster Ukraine’s armed forces with drones, according to…
HMoND | The legislative initiative for HCDI is under consultation
The legislative initiative of the Ministry of National Defence, under the title: “Establishment of the Hellenic Center for Defence…
Russia | Cluster bombs hit residential area in Odessa
Images from Russia’s strike in the heart of Odessa, which hit the so-called “Harry Potter Castle”, a former politician’s mansion now…
0 Comments