France's Macron Says Turkey Playing 'Dangerous Game' in Libya

Arab World

June 22nd, 7:12pm

Asharq Al-Awsat

French President Emmanuel Macron. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron pointed the finger at Turkey on Monday over its support of the Government of National Accord in Libya, saying Turkey was playing "a dangerous game" that went against everything it had agreed to in international talks. "I have already had the opportunity to say very clearly to President (Recep Tayyip) Erdogan (that) I consider that Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya today and contravenes all of its commitments made at the Berlin conference," Macron said, referring to a peace meeting earlier this year. Macron said he had spoken earlier to US President Donald Trump on the crisis in Libya. Last week, France accused Turkey's navy of acting in a "hostile and aggressive" manner towards its NATO allies to prevent them from enforcing a United Nations arms embargo on Libya. In a strongly-worded statement, foreign ministry spokeswoman Agnes von der Muhll said violations of the embargo, notably by Turkey, were the main obstacles to achieving peace and stability in Libya. Macron added Monday that Egypt’s concerns over the Turkish Libya incursion are legitimate Turkey, which backs the GNA in Tripoli, has secured a foothold in Libya by helping to repel an assault on the capital by the Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar. A French official said last week Turkey’s decision to send more weapons and Syrian mercenaries into the country was doing nothing to achieve peace. Egypt’s President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi on Saturday said his country has a legitimate right to intervene in neighboring Libya and ordered his army to be ready to carry out any mission outside the country, if necessary. The main aims of any intervention would include protecting Egypt’s 1,200-km western border, helping achieve a ceasefire, and restoring stability and peace in Libya, he said. He said Egypt has the right to defend itself after receiving “direct threats” from “terrorist militias and mercenaries” supported by foreign countries, in an apparent reference to some armed groups loyal to the GNA and supported by Turkey.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2348486/frances-macron-says-turkey-playing-dangerous-game-libya