وزراء دول جوار ليبيا: التدخل الخارجي وراء إطالة الأزمة

The neighboring countries of Libya rejected today (Thursday) all forms of external intervention in Libyan affairs, as it represents a key factor in exacerbating tensions and prolonging the crisis. They emphasized during a meeting hosted in Cairo today the importance of advancing the political process under the auspices of the United Nations, leading to the end of the division, the unification of Libyan state institutions, and the preparation of suitable conditions for conducting presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.

During the meeting, which included the foreign ministers of Egypt, Badr Abdel Atti, Algeria, Ahmed Attaf, and Tunisia, Mohamed Ali Nafati, the discussions focused on coordinating positions regarding developments in the Libyan scene and ways to support efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political settlement that achieves security and stability while preserving Libya's unity and sovereignty. The ministers stressed in a joint statement that "the solution must be Libyan-Libyan, stemming from the will and consensus of all components of the Libyan people without exclusion, and in a manner that preserves the unity of the country."

The ministers affirmed the deep historical and fraternal ties that connect their countries with sisterly Libya, as well as the relationships of neighborhood and shared destiny. They reiterated their commitment to continue coordination and consultation within the framework of the tripartite neighboring countries mechanism, contributing to the preservation of Libya's unity and sovereignty over its territory, and assisting the Libyan brothers in healing the rift, ending the crisis, and safeguarding their country's resources, in a way that achieves prosperity and sustainable development that the Libyan people aspire to.

The ministers emphasized that a comprehensive political solution remains the only way to end the Libyan crisis, reaffirming the importance of advancing the political process under the auspices of the United Nations, leading to the end of the division and the unification of Libyan state institutions, and preparing suitable conditions for conducting presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in response to the aspirations of the Libyan people.

They also affirmed the principle of Libyan ownership and leadership of the political process, stressing that the solution must be Libyan-Libyan, stemming from the will and consensus of all components of the Libyan people without exclusion, and in a manner that preserves Libya's unity and sovereignty.

The ministers expressed their concern regarding the security challenges facing Libya, including incidents of violence and political assassinations, renewing their call for all Libyan parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation, prioritizing the higher national interest to preserve the security and safety of the Libyan people and safeguard the state's resources. They emphasized the importance of supporting efforts aimed at consolidating the ceasefire and enhancing security stability across the country.

The ministers affirmed that reaching the desired political settlement requires adopting a comprehensive approach that links various political, economic, and social tracks, enabling the achievement of security, stability, development, and prosperity for the Libyan people.

They renewed their support for the efforts of the Joint Military Commission (5+5) to consolidate the ceasefire and work towards the withdrawal of all foreign forces, foreign fighters, and mercenaries from Libyan territory within a specified timeframe, thereby creating conditions for the unification of Libyan military and security institutions.

They also emphasized the importance of continuing coordination and consultation among the three countries with the United Nations and regional and international partners, including the Arab League and the African Union, in support of efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement in Libya.

The ministers concluded their meeting by affirming the continuation of holding periodic meetings of the tripartite neighboring countries mechanism to enhance coordination and consultation regarding developments in Libya, agreeing to hold the next meeting in Algeria at a date to be determined through diplomatic channels, expressing their appreciation to the Arab Republic of Egypt for hosting this meeting.

For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atti affirmed during the meeting the constants of the Egyptian position based on the necessity of preserving the unity of Libyan territory and its sovereignty, stressing that Libya's security represents an integral extension of Egyptian and Arab national security.

He emphasized in this regard that a purely Libyan-Libyan solution is the only pillar for ensuring sustainable stability and a comprehensive settlement, noting the importance of conducting presidential and legislative elections simultaneously as soon as possible, and confirming that the continued absence of a unified executive authority hinders stability efforts.

He also stressed the necessity of the immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces, mercenaries, and foreign fighters from Libyan territory, in implementation of relevant international resolutions.