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Macron says Turkey playing

intolerable “dangerous game” in Libya

tUrkey FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron has a Mediterranean subject that affects us because
accused Nato ally Turkey of playing “a danger- today from Libya each day men and women are
ous game” in Libya that goes against everything fleeing misery to come to Europe. Do you think
it agreed to in international talks to resolve the we can let Turkey for a long time import Syrian
conflict in the country, while adding that France fighters to Libya given everything we know?”
“won’t tolerate the role that Turkey is playing” in Responding to Macron, Turkey’s Foreign
the north African nation. Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said: “...
“I have already had the opportunity to say Macron’s categorisation of our country’s sup-
very clearly to [Turkish] President [Recep port for Libya’s legitimate government based on
Tayyip] Erdogan [that] I consider that Turkey uN resolutions and upon their request as a ‘dan-
is playing a dangerous game in Libya today and gerous game’ can only be explained through an
contravenes all of its commitments made at the eclipse of the mind.”
Berlin conference,” Macron said, referring to a “The current troubles in Libya are caused by
peace meeting earlier this year, and adding that the attacks of putschist Haftar, whom [Macron]
he had spoken earlier to uS President Donald supports and who is a warlord who refused
Trump on the crisis in Libya. ceasefire accords in Moscow and Berlin.”
Turkey’s military assistance appears to have Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on
secured Libya’s capital Tripoli and the west of June 23 called for an immediate ceasefire in
the country for the internationally recognised Libya. He said that Turkey and Egypt concurred
Government of National Accord (GNA) against with Moscow’s approach to the settlement of the
eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan conflict.
National Army (LNA), which is backed by the All external players should create conditions
uAE, Egypt and Russia, among others. France for inclusive dialogue between the warring fac-
has been accused of supporting Haftar politi- tions in Libya, he said after he held talks by phone
cally. It previously gave him military help to fight with the foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt.
Islamist militants. The day also saw Arab foreign ministers say
France denies supporting Haftar but has they wanted to head off a new battle in Libya,
notably stopped short of rebuking his allies, where the warring sides are mobilising near
while repeatedly criticising Turkey. Sirte and the main oil region, known as the “oil
When asked about Egyptian President Abdel crescent. Libya is passing through a dangerous
Fattah al-Sisi asserting that he had a right to turn in the course of its conflict,” Arab League
intervene in neighbour Libya, Macron said the Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in
Egyptian leader had cause to be worried. “This is a statement.™

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