Sarraj’s gov’t unauthorized to sign international deals: Libyan speaker

Sharm El Sheikh: – 15 December 2019: The government of Fayez al-Sarraj, prime minister of the so-called Government of National Accord, does not have any legal authorization to sign international agreements, Speaker of the Libyan Parliament Aguila Saleh said.

In statements to Egypt Today, Saleh condemned the latest agreements between Sarraj and Turkey on security and maritime, affirming that these deals are void as the Parliament did not approve them.

The Libyan parliament has addressed the United Nations and the Arabic League and called for withdrawing confidence from the government of Sarraj as it did not take the constitutional oath before the Parliament and it was never granted the Parliament’s confidence, Saleh said.

He expressed appreciation to the stance of the Egyptian Parliament, which has utterly rejected the latest agreements and called it “reckless,” referring to his meeting with Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal.

“We appreciate your support to the Libyan people in the face of terrorism, conspiracies, and domination attempts by terrorist organizations, armed militias, and greedy countries backing these malign projects,” Saleh stated.

He also affirmed his great trust in Egypt’s leadership and people, and urged Egypt to use its pivotal regional role and influence to address the international community and highlight the futility of the recognition of the National Accord Government and the Presidential Council, which Sarraj chairs.

Saleh said that he and Abdel Aal has discussed the developments regarding the latest controversial agreements, and that the two sides agreed that this agreement is illegal at the local and international levels.

"Any agreement signed by any country must be ratified by the legislative authority in order to enter into force," he said.

Saleh affirmed that Sarraj has ended his term, according to the Skhirat agreement which gave Sarraj the authority for only two years.

The Skhirat agreement was signed in 2015 between parties of conflict in Libya, under the supervision of the United Nations, and the Security Council resolutions which imposes a ban on the supply of weapons and military equipment to and from Libya.

The Libyan parliament twice rejected renewing Sarraj’s term, therefore, any international agreement is invalid, including that agreements between Sarraj and Turkey.

"The Libyan political agreement, Skhirat, stipulates that the government must be granted confidence from the House of Representatives and take the constitutional oath before (it),” Saleh said.

He said he will discuss the issue of withdrawing international recognition of Sarraj’s government during the meeting of the Arab Parliament scheduled for January 15th. He added that there will be subsequent similar calls for all European states and the United States.


Egyptian Foreign Minister met on Sunday with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias - Press photo

Once signed late in November, the two agreements between Turkey and Sarraj on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea that could worsen Ankara's disputes over energy exploration with other countries, were denounced by Egypt, Cyprus, and Greece as illegitimate and “has no legal effect.”

In a statement by Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign affairs it was stated that Skhirat Agreement set the powers of the Government of National Accord. The eighth article of the agreement prohibited the Libyan prime minister from solely clinching international deals without consent of all the cabinet members.

As the current Government of National Accord lacks full representation of all the Libyan regions, the current government is a caretaker cabinet with limited powers, the Egyptian ministry said in its statement.

Such deals are not binding or affecting the interests and the rights of any third parties, it said, adding that the deals will have no influence on maritime border mechanism in east Mediterranean area.

Egypt urged the international community to shoulder its responsibility towards these negative developments, fearing it would affect Berlin political process that aims at finding a political solution to the Libyan crisis.