Tripoli slams Arab League's 'double standard' on ‘Turkish interference in Arab countries'
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The Libyan ministry of foreign affairs of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has slammed Arab League foreign ministers for their resolution on Turkish interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries describing it as "a double standard policy".
It said in a communiqué on Wednesday that it had reservations about the resolution during the 153rd ordinary meeting of the Council of foreign affairs ministers in Cairo.
The Libyan ministry said that at a time when the resolution condemns Turkish support for Libya, which was approved by the legitimate government, the Arab League nevertheless justifies the intervention of Arab countries whose bombardments, killing of innocent and destruction of installations in Libya have caused pain and havoc.
Arab countries like Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have given military, financial and political support to Khalifa Haftar whose Libyan National Army (LNA) are continuing to bombard civilian sites in Tripoli despite a truce and the resolution of the UN Security Council for a ceasefire.
The ministry of foreign affairs underlined that "the decision sees the support of the Turkish government for the Government of National Accord as interference in the Libyan affairs, which shows a settling of scores between certain countries with Turkey, which Libya rejects".
Last September, the chairman of the presidential council of the GNA, Fayez al-Sarraj, signed two MoUs in Istanbul with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the delimitation of maritime borders and security cooperation.
The communiqué stressed that the resolution of the Arab League underlines the need to lift all kinds of obstacles and threats against the functioning of oil ports, ensure their security and resume activities under the exclusive control of the Libyan National Oil Company.
Since 18 April when oil ports and fields in the country’s eastern, central and southern regions were closed by forces of Haftar, the oil sector has recorded losses of more than $2.5 billion with a drop in production to 155,000 barrels per day as against more than 1.2 million b/day previously.
-0- PANA BY/BEH/MSA/MA 5March2020
