Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia support political settlement in Libya

CAIRO – 6 June 2017: Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria expressed their satisfaction with the political agreement reached by the Libyan parties and called for accelerating the negotiation process, during the latest round of tripartite talks, on Monday, seeking to find a solution to the Libyan crisis.

The talks, which took place on June 5 and 6, gathered Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui, and were hosted by Algeria’s African and Arab Affairs Minister Abdelkader Messahel.

According to the final statement of the talks, released by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ministers discussed the efforts of Libyan parties, on national and local levels, aiming at resuming the comprehensive national talks. They further praised the positive steps put forward to establish a joint committee for meetings and dialogues among influential Libyan figures.

The ministers stressed the necessity for each country to commit to its stance regarding the Libyan situation, which is built primarily on the unity of Libya, its safety and sovereignty, as well as committing to the political solution to deal with the crisis, the statement read.

They emphasized an urgency to abstain from violence or taking any measures that would escalate the situation and add to the suffering of the Libyan people.

The ministers also warned that the degradation of the situation would be reflected on the security and stability of Libya and the whole region, working in favor of terrorist organizations and their criminal activities. They stressed the necessity to enhance coordination and information exchange among their security agencies, as an effective mean to combat terrorism.

The three ministers pointed out the efforts of Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia to mediate between the Libyan parties, renewing their commitment to support Libya based on the conditions of the political agreement to resolve the crisis.

In February, representatives of the three states signed Tunisia Declaration, which stated a firm rejection for any foreign military or political intervention in Libya, and stressed the importance to abide by the 2015 Skhirat agreement between the two fractions in Libya.
The ministers agreed to hold the next round of the talks in Egypt.