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Libya ceasefire to open up opportunity for political regulation, says Erdogan

He stressed that he would never negotiate with Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar, as the Turkish leader considers him "a terrorist"
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
© Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool

ANKARA, January 20. /TASS/. Libya ceasefire will open up an opportunity for political regulation in the country, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on board the plane returning from the Berlin international conference on Libya. His quotes were published by the Turkiye newspaper on Monday.

"We took part in the Berlin summit on Libya within the framework of our efforts on political regulation. We have approved the summit’s declaration consisting of 55 points," the president stressed. "If the ceasefire that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and I have been supporting holds, an opportunity for political process will open up."

Erdogan stressed that he would never negotiate with Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar, as the Turkish leader considers him "a terrorist."

Berlin conference on Libya

The international high-level conference on Libya took place on Sunday in the German capital, with at least ten heads of states and governments attending the event including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks were also visited by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as representatives of Algeria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and China.

Moreover, Berlin also welcomed Prime Minister of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Sarraj, and Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar.

The conference’s final communique includes a call to ceasefire, refrain from intervening into Libya’s affairs, while it also proposes creation of a single government and launch of reforms to restore statehood that was demolished by NATO almost ten years ago.

Libya currently has two parallel bodies of executive power, namely the internationally recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and, along with the parliament, the interim government, seated in the east of the country, which is supported by the Libyan National Army (LNA).