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Russian lawmaker calls for resolving Libyan conflict peacefully

Leonid Slutsky pointed out that foreign interference was "not the best option"

Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky Sergey Malgavko/TASS

Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky

© Sergey Malgavko/TASS

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/. The domestic crisis in Libya needs to be resolved peacefully, while the deployment of Turkish troops may deteriorate the situation in the country, Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Leonid Slutsky told TASS on Thursday.

"As for me, the Turkish parliament’s decision [to allow the government to send troops to Libya - TASS] causes concern. The deployment of Turkish troops to Libya at Tripoli’s request may deepen the crisis and deteriorate the situation," the senior lawmaker said.

Slutsky pointed out that foreign interference was "not the best option".

"Russia has always called for resolving the domestic conflict in Libya through political and diplomatic means," he went on to say. "There is a need to continue the search for peaceful methods to settle the crisis through the mediation of the United Nations and with the assistance of the entire international community," Slutsky added.

Earlier on Thursday, Turkey’s parliament has passed a bill, which makes it possible to send Turkish troops to Libya. The bill was submitted to the country’s parliament by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party on December 30.

According to the Turkish media, Ankara may first send military instructors to train the fighters of the Libyan Government of National Accord. Besides, Turkey may consider providing Tripoli with the Hisar and Korkut missile systems. Erdogan has said on numerous occasions that Turkey was ready to send troops to Libya at Tripoli’s request. On November 28, Ankara and Tripoli signed a memorandum on cooperation, which particularly covers the defense field.

Libya crisis

There currently are two governments in Libya: the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, which is headquartered in the country’s capital of Tripoli, and Abdullah al-Thani’s cabinet based in the country’s east, which has the support of the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

On December 12, Haftar announced the launch of a crucial offensive aimed at taking control of the country’s capital. The LNA has repeatedly stated that it would oppose any foreign interference in Libya’s domestic affairs and threatened to sink ships and shoot down cargo aircraft carrying military aid from Turkey.

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