CAIRO, Oct 20 (NNN-MENA) – Egypt hosted a meeting of members of the Libyan parliament, to unite their visions and efforts for the settlement of war-torn Libya’s crisis.
Held at the headquarters of Egypt’s House of Representatives in Cairo, the meeting of Libyan lawmakers is the second hosted by Egypt, after a previous one in July.
First deputy speaker of Egypt’s parliament, Al-Sayed Mahmoud al-Sherif, stressed in his opening remarks that, “Egypt’s parliament, people and president, support Libya’s campaign to eradicate terrorism and maintain unity and integrity of its territories.”
He added that Egypt rejects all forms of foreign intervention in Libya’s domestic affairs.
For his part, deputy speaker of Libya’s parliament, Fawzi al-Nuwairi, described Libya’s relations with Egypt as “historical.”
“Libya is going through a crisis,” said the senior Libyan lawmaker, expressing hope in Egypt’s position that supports Libya’s stability and anti-terror war, and tries to bring Libyan visions closer, via national dialogue.
Since the ouster and killing of former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011, Libyan factions have been engaged in a civil war that escalated in 2014, resulting in splitting power between two rival governments: a UN-backed government in the capital Tripoli, and another in the northeastern city of Tobruk.
Libyan MP’s who met in Cairo are from the Tobruk-based parliament, that was elected in 2014, but denied by Tripoli. The parliament that had to move to Tobruk supports self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Haftar.
In Apr, Haftar’s eastern-based forces started a military campaign towards Tripoli, in northwestern Libya, but troops loyal to the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord, managed, so far, to keep them at a distance.
The Egyptian leadership has repeatedly voiced support for Haftar.– NNN-MENA
