Libyan Embassy denies dispute with Egypt

CAIRO - 29 November 2018: Libyan Charge d'Affaires in Cairo, Fawzi Tantoush, said that certain parties are trying to undermine the recent successes and achievements in the Libyan Embassy, stressing that a systematic campaign aims to harm bilateral relations between Egypt and Libya.

In an interview with Egypt Today, Tantoush said that attempts to disrupt the Egyptian-Libyan relations will not succeed, pointing to the existence of figures that he described as "malicious" leading such a campaign.

Tantoush affirmed that the Libyan Embassy in Cairo is working with the utmost patriotism for the interests of both countries, saying that there are some parties who envy the Libyan Embassy in Cairo for continuing to perform its work with efficiency and professionalism.

Libya's Foreign Minister Mohamed al-Taher Siala denied earlier that the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called on the Libyan Foreign Ministry to withdraw Libya's Ambassador to Cairo, Mohamed Abdel Aziz.

On Monday, a news website that has been banned in Egypt as part of the government's plan to stop websites that it said "support terrorism and spread false news," cited a source "who requested not to mention his name", saying that Abdel Aziz's absence for weeks comes after the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's requested to exclude him as he received Qatari officials in his office.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have cut diplomatic ties with Doha since June 2017, over charges including funding terrorism, harboring fugitives and interfering in other countries' domestic affairs.

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Additional reporting by Amr Mohamed Kandil