Libyan Parl't speaker says meeting with Sisi fruitful

CAIRO – 8 July 2019: Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh revealed the details of his meeting with Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi in June, stressing that it was fruitful.

He addedin an interview with CBC eXtra News that President Sisi understood the situation in Libya, and followed up on the latest events and developments.

Saleh said that the Libyan capital had been kidnapped by the militias for three years, affirming it was the duty of the army to protect the state from destruction and fall.

The Libyan National Army has had the duty of taking action to save the capital from these militias, said Saleh.


The Libyan army is a national army that includes all groups of people and tribes and has played its national role to save the state's sovereignty and components from destruction, Saleh said.

The history of the Libyan army confirms the prominence and patriotism of the army in the region, Salih said, affirming confidence in the ability of the army to liberate the country from terrorists and prevent them from carrying out hostile attacks in theLibyan territory.

Central Bank

Saleh, who is also the commander of the Libyan Armed Forces,said that the Tripoli-based Central Bank of Libya is controlled by terrorist mercenary groups that are hostile to the state. Thus, most of the state's income reaches terrorist groups and armed militias. He noted that this is the most important cause for the failure of Libyan reconciliation.


He explained that he talked with the UN envoy to form a neutral committee to distribute the Libyan income among the people because it is unacceptable that these groups remain in control of the money.

There was a conspiracy that aimed at enabling the political Islam group and other groups linked to them to control the state, Saleh said, affirming that the Central Bank of Libya became under the control of these groups.

Sarraj's initiatives fail

Chairman of Presidential Council Fayez Sarraj cannot implement the initiatives he announced and called for, because he falls under the mercy of the armed militias, Saleh said, adding that Sarraj cannot release prisoners and detainees under the control of armed militias.

The Libyan House of Representatives welcome all Initiatives as long as they are proposed by a party that is able to implement their provisions and is not subordinate to the armed groups.

Skhirat Agreement

Saleh referred, during the interview, to the Skhirat Agreement signed in 2015 in Morocco, saying that it did not lead to any result. He added that resorting to the legitimacy represented by the Libyan House of Representatives is the only way to achieve a result.

In December 2015, the Skhirat Agreement was signed by major parties in the Libyan conflict under the supervision of then UN envoy Martin Kobler in the city of Skhirat, Morocco. The agreement recommends a peaceful transition of power and the establishment of a national unity government. However, the agreement failed to achieve the desired stability on the ground because it lacked consensus.

Saleh stressed the solution of the Libyan crisis must come in accordance with the articles of the constitution. He pointed out that the government of the National Accord in Libya has no mandate, as the Libyan court did not grant that government any legitimacy.

The Skhirat Agreement is a political agreement rejected by the Libyan Parliament, Saleh said.The person in charge of this government must have been changed after the agreement was rejected twice.However, there is determination to make this certain person remain in charge, he added.

Libyan-Egyptian ties

Terrorism has no religion and no homeland; it does not know the meaning of the state, Saleh said, adding that terrorism only depends on controlling and black mailing countries, as well as damaging neighboring countries.

He affirmed that the security of both the Egyptian and Libyan states is inseparable, adding that harms caused to Libya also affect the neighboring countries.

Cooperation and concerted efforts among neighboring countries have been necessary to counter terrorism, Saleh said, adding that the threat of terrorism transcends borders.

Sisi, Aguila's meeting



Sisi's confirmation that theHouse of Representatives is the only legitimate institution in Libya and his support to the national armed forces is a message to communities affirm the necessity to combat armed militias, he said.

The whole world listened to the message of President Sisi, and this message will have a great positive impact on the internal situation, Saleh affirmed.


Concerning the Muslim Brotherhood group, Saleh explained that the Libyan constitution clarified the legitimacy of each individual in the state and how to elect them. He said that the decision to ban the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group was irreversible, and that he would not allow the group's members to run in the upcoming elections.

Meeting Saleh in Cairo last June, President Sisi reaffirmed Egypt's support to efforts exerted by Libya's national army to eliminate terrorist groups in the war-hit Arab African country.

Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said the president affirmed the importance of respecting the will of the Libyan people and supporting Libya's legitimacy represented in the House of Representatives which had been elected by the Libyans.

The Libyan House of Representatives voted in May on banning the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood and classifying it as a terrorist group during a Parliament's session held in Tabruk city.