Lavrov: Russia, Egypt, UAE concert efforts to launch political process in Libya

CAIRO - 15 December 2020: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that his country's efforts with Egypt and the UAE target launching the political process in Libya. "We call for the settlement of the Libyan issue through the efforts of the Libyan parties and neighboring countries."

He added, during a joint press conference with his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, on Monday, that Russia is keen on helping the state institutions in Libya to restore their power, calling for the need to address the causes of the crisis in Libya.

On the other hand, Lavrov stressed the need to resume direct peace talks between Israel and Palestine, highlighting that it is necessary that the international community works to launch such talks, and clarifying that Russia supports a solution to the Palestinian issue based on the two-state solution.

Egypt is adopting a strategy of opening up to all Libyan parties supporting a political solution, as part of its support for efforts to defuse the crisis in the country.

Egypt earlier announced an initiative, dubbed the Cairo Declaration, which posits a Libyan-Libyan resolution as a basis for resolving the country’s conflict, drawing on earlier international efforts, including the Berlin conference.

On September 22, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi addressed several ongoing topics during the speech he gave at the United Nations’ 75th General Assembly which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

President Sisi said that his country is committed to a political solution for the current crisis in Libya based on the Skhirat agreement, the Berlin conference and Cairo’s Declaration, which set a schedule for establishing a consensual government.

Libya has been mired in chaos ever since the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising, with warring rival administrations battling for power. Since the downfall of Kadhafi, Libya also has become a key route for irregular migration from Africa into Europe, across the Mediterranean Sea.