Libya affirms respect to ‘valid’ international deals

TRIPOLI, Libya

The Libyan Foreign Ministry on Saturday reiterated respect to the country’s valid international agreements with other countries, in reference to Tripoli's security and maritime demarcation deals with Ankara.

On Friday, Italian news agency, AKI, attributed statements to Libyan Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush in which she demanded that all foreign forces be withdrawn from Libya.

"We have called on everyone, including Turkey, to cooperate on removing all foreign forces from Libyan soil,” al-Mangoush was quoted as saying.

A ministry statement affirmed respect to international deals signed between Libya and other countries.

"The [Libyan] Foreign Ministry works in accordance with the law and what requires to honor the valid international deals," the statement said.

The ministry said that al-Mangoush’s comments cited by some media outlets were "misstated and not precise”.

On Friday, Khalid al-Mishri, the chairman of the Libyan High Council of State, stressed his country's honoring agreements signed with Turkey and all deals signed with other countries.

On April 10, while receiving credentials of the new Turkish envoy to Tripoli, Kenan Yilmaz, the head of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi said his country will maintain mutual interests with Turkey.

The Turkish government and the then-Libyan internationally recognized government signed a security cooperation deal along with a maritime demarcation agreement on Nov. 27, 2019.

On March 15, Libya’s new unity government headed by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh was sworn in by the Libyan Parliament.

Libyans hope the government will end years of civil war that have engulfed the country since the ouster and killing of strongman Muammar al-Qaddafi in 2011.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara