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Libyan crisis in focus of Lavrov's conversation with Egyptian top diplomat

The Russian foreign ministry said both sides confirmed that the situation in that country can be settled only by means of talks involving all Libyan sides

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. The Libyan crisis and the situation in the region were in focus of a conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

"The ministers discussed the situation in the Middle East and North Africa with a focus on the crisis in Libya," the ministry said. "Both sides confirmed that the situation in that country can be settled only by means of talks involving all Libyan sides as part of the implementation of the Berlin conference decisions endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2510."

"The two top diplomats stressed the importance of the Cairo declaration of June 6 to promote the key principles of the Berlin process with an aim of organizing an inclusive intra-Libyan dialogue on ways to build the post-conflict order in Libya on the basis of balance of interests of the country’s three historic regions," the ministry added.

Currently, Libya has two supreme executive authorities, namely the internationally-recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) 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 (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

The conflicting parties have been fighting to control of the capital city for more than a year after Haftar launched an offensive in early April 2019 to liberate the city, as he put it. Following that, the GNA turned to Turkey for support. Backed by Ankara, the Government of National Accord regained control over some regions seized by the LNA.

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Sergey Lavrov Egypt Libya

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