Turkey expects Russia to convince Haftar for cease-fire
Ankara expects that Russia will convince Libyan National Army's (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar to join cease-fire efforts in Libya, Turkish FM Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Jan. 11. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire on Jan. 8 in Istanbul.
Duvar English / Anadolu Agency
Turkey expects Russia to convince Libya's general Khalifa Haftar for a cease-fire, the country's foreign minister said on Jan. 11.
"Turkey's expectation from its Russian friends is to convince general Khalifa Haftar for a cease-fire in Libya based on what was agreed upon by the Turkish and Russian presidents," said Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, speaking at a joint news conference with his Ghanaian counterpart Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey in Istanbul.
On Jan. 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin urged a cease-fire in Libya by Jan. 12 following a meeting in Istanbul.
The U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli welcomed the call for cease-fire while Haftar rejected the call.
Çavuşoğlu said that when it comes to a political solution, Turkey has no problem with dialogue with anyone, including Haftar, but firstly Haftar will have to abide by the cease-fire.
Since the ouster of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: one in eastern Libya under the command of Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Haftar and the other the Tripoli-based GNA under Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.
Moscow and Ankara support opposing sides in the conflict, with the former backing the Haftar and the latter supporting the GNA.
The GNA has been trying to repel an attack by Haftar’s forces on Tripoli.