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Greece, Israel, Cyprus urge Turkey to refrain from meddling in Libyan conflict

According to the three leaders, this decision "marks a dangerous escalation of the conflict and a significant deterioration of the situation"

ATHENS, January 3. /TASS/. Turkey’s decision to deploy forces to Libya poses a serious threat to stability in the region and blatantly violates UN Security Council’s Resolution 1970, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades said in a joint statement.

"The Turkish decision to deploy troops in Libya presents a dangerous threat to regional stability. This decision constitutes a gross violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011), imposing an arms embargo in Libya and seriously undermines the international community’s efforts to find a peaceful, political solution to the Libyan conflict," according to a statement released by the Greek government spokesman after the three leaders’ meeting in Athens on occasion of signing a deal on EastMed gas pipeline.

According to the three leaders, this decision "marks a dangerous escalation of the conflict and a significant deterioration of the situation." "Turkey should not violate the Libyan Political Agreement and related United Nations resolutions. The repercussions of such a reckless move will be dire for the stability and peace of the entire region. Ankara should refrain from taking such action, which blatantly violates Libyan national sovereignty and independence," the document said.

On Thursday, Turkey’s parliament passed a bill that will allow the government to send 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.

Currently, Libya has two supreme executive authorities, namely the internationally-recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, and the interim government of Abdullah al-Thani, seated in the east of the country, along with the elected parliament, which is supported by the Libyan National Army. On December 12, Field Marshal of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar announced that his forces were beginning a decisive battle and an offensive in Tripoli.

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