Egyptian, Libyan tribes strongly reject Turkish intervention

CAIRO - 18 January 2020: Libyan and Egyptian tribes issued on Saturday a nine-point statement, declaring their strong rejection to Turkish intervention in Libya.

The tribes announced their refusal to the “invalid” Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that was signed by head of the Government of National Accord Fayez al Sarraj and Turkish President Recept Tayeb Erdogan on drawing maritime borders in the Mediterranean Sea- one of the largest natural gas resources in the region- and on enhancing military cooperation.

They also condemned Turkey’s Parliament’s vote sending Turkish troops to Libya, saying “the Turkish parliament’s latest decision is a blatant challenge to the decisions of the international legitimate laws regarding Libya.”

The tribes announced their full support to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s foreign policy in dealing with the Libyan crisis and against Turkish intervention, affirming their emphatical refusal to turning Libya into an international arena for a proxy war and to any Turkish interference into Libyan affairs.

“We strongly support the Libyan National Army [which is led by Commander Khalifa Haftar] and support its structure. We demand the international community to lift arms embargo on the Libyan army. We demand the necessity of disarming all other militants and limiting it [armament] to the Libyan Armed Forces,” the joint statement read.

The tribes announced that they stand defiant against terrorists and militias which receive support from Turkey and Qatar.

“We announce our complete opposition to the plans of the Iranian-Turkish-Qatari axis which aims at controlling the region,” they said, calling on the international community to take firm decisions that serves Libya’s stability. They finally affirmed their support to any efforts for Libyan stability and safety.

The deals signed between Sarraj and Erdogan provoked anger in Egypt, Cyprus and Greece that voiced their rejection of the deal as it contradicts with the international agreements.

In a joint press conference held in Cairo for the foreign ministers of Egypt, Greece, France and Cyprus, it has been affirmed that the necessity to fully respect the sovereignty of all countries, including their sovereign rights in their water regions in the Mediterranean Sea. In this regard, they strongly condemned the continuous Turkish acts (drillings) in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone and regional waters and called on Turkey to immediately halt illegal exploration activities.sovereignty of all countries, including their sovereign rights in their water regions in the Mediterranean Sea. In this regard, they strongly condemned the continuous Turkish acts (drillings) in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone and regional waters and called on Turkey to immediately halt illegal exploration activities.