President Erdoğan: Our primary goal is the protection of Libya’s territorial integrity and political unity
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity of Libya, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, held a joint press conference following the High Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting at the Presidential Complex.
“WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING OUR FUTURE BY THE STRENGTH WE DERIVE FROM OUR SHARED HISTORY”
“We have long-standing, deep and special relations with Libya dating back more than 500 years,” President Erdoğan said. “For centuries, we as two friendly, brotherly and related nations have cast our lots with one another for our survivals, for our crescents and stars. We have fought as one against those targeting our sovereignty. We have reached these days as a result of the blessed fights put up by Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, Enver Bey, Fethi Bey, Nuri Bey, Muhammad as-Senussi, Lion of the Desert Omar al-Mukhtar and many other heroes.”
President Erdoğan stated: “We have been building our future by the strength we derive from this shared history of ours. Our primary goal is the protection of Libya’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political unity; the prosperity of the Libyan people. Turkey embraces with affection the entire Libya from west to east, north to south. In this spirit, we will continue to provide the National Unity Government with every kind of support, as we did with the previous legitimate governments.”
Stressing that Turkey rushed to the aid of its Libyan brothers and sisters at the invitation of the country’s UN-recognized legitimate government at a time when the attacks on Tripoli reached serious levels, President Erdoğan said: “It was only Turkey that responded to the call the Government of National Accord made to the international community. While we stood with the legitimate government, some others continued to support and arm putschist Haftar.”
Noting that the support Turkey provided to Libya as per the memorandum of understanding on security and cooperation prevented the fall of Tripoli and thwarted new massacres while also enabling a ceasefire, President Erdoğan said: “Turkey’s support also paved the way for the Berlin Conference and revitalized the political process. It was a result of these efforts that the National Unity Government could be formed.”
“WE MUST NOW FOCUS ON HEALING THE WOUNDS IN LIBYA”
The current priority is to ensure that the National Unity Government obtains country-wide power and authority, underscored the President, calling on the international community to sincerely help Libya make progress in every area and hold elections on the determined date.
“I hope the era of deriving benefits in Libya by backing illegitimate actors at the expense of Libyans is over,” President Erdoğan added.
Stressing that Turkey always sees the Mediterranean as a basin of peace and prosperity, President Erdoğan said: “The memorandum of understanding we signed with Libya on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas secures both countries’ national interests and future. My august brother Mr. Dbeibeh has repeatedly announced that this memorandum of understanding is in accordance with the interests of Libya; anything beyond that is empty words in our view. Today, we have reaffirmed our determination in this regard.”
President Erdoğan continued as follows: “In Libya, we must now focus on healing the wounds, on reconstruction, development and on our Libyan brothers and sisters’ prosperity. With its sound institutional structure and strong private sector, Turkey will provide every kind of support for the reconstruction of Libya’s infrastructure and superstructure.”
Pointing out that 150 thousand doses of vaccines will be delivered from Turkey to Libya tomorrow as part of the fight against the coronavirus, President Erdoğan stated that Turkey will also share with Libya its experience in combatting COVID-19 and will run a pandemic hospital in the country. “Our support will uninterruptedly continue for Libya’s defense industry and for the reconstruction of its military and security architecture,” the President noted.
LIBYAN NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT PRIME MINISTER DBEIBEH: “WE APPRECIATE TURKEY’S SUPPORT FOR A LASTING CEASEFIRE IN LIBYA”
Libyan National Unity Government Prime Minister Dbeibeh, for his part, expressed Libya’s desire to forge truly strategic relations with all the neighbors and friendly countries, particularly with Turkey.
Stressing that the elections in Libya will be held in a democratic manner, Prime Minister Dbeibeh said Libya appreciates Turkey’s support for a lasting ceasefire in the country.
Underscoring that the memorandum of understanding between Turkey and Libya on the delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas is to the benefit of both countries, Mr. Dbeibeh added that Libya also wants to increase its bilateral trade volume with Turkey in a balanced manner.
