Page 6 - aruba-today-20220527

A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 27 May 2022
Rival Libya leader says he has no plans to rule from Tripoli

By RAMI MUSA not command enough loy-
SIRTE, Libya (AP) — One of alty outside of the capital.
Libya's rival prime ministers "He will only be able to hold
told The Associated Press them in Tripoli," he said,
that he has no immedi- adding that his own gov-
ate plans to rule from the ernment is looking at hold-
capital of Tripoli, after his ing nationwide elections
attempted move there last within 14 months.
week sparked clashes and The impasse worsened over
fears of a return to wide- the past two months, result-
spread civil strife. ing in the closure of oil fa-
In an interview late cilities — including Libya's
Wednesday, Prime Minister largest oil field — in areas
Fathi Bashagha said that controlled by Hifter's forces.
his government will work Bashagha said he was not
from its headquarters in behind the stoppage of
Sirte, a city on the Mediter- oil production, but that lo-
ranean coast about half- cal tribes had decided to
way between the country's take matters into their own
east and west. Rival admin- hands, not wanting to fund
istrations from each end of Dbeibah's government.
Libya claim to be its legiti- Fathi Bashagha, one of Libya’s rival prime ministers, gives an interview to The Associated Press, in Bashagha said Abdel-
mate rulers until elections Sirte, Libya, Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Ghani al-Kikli, a Tripoli militia
are held. Associated Press leader, was part of the ef-
Describing last week's fort to attack him after he
events, Bashagha said he been split between rival since 2020, when east- Both Dbeibah and entered Tripoli. Al-Kikli was
had entered Tripoli in a ci- administrations in the east based commander Khalifa Bashagha hail from the previously implicated in
vilian car and that those and west, each supported Hifter and his forces waged western city of Misrata, a war crimes by global rights
escorting him were un- by different militias and for- a yearlong campaign to try base of influential militias. groups, but has headed a
armed. A young man was eign governments. The es- to take the city with back- Lawmakers have argued nebulous body called the
killed during the incident. tablishment of Bashagha's ing from Russian mercenar- that Dbeibah's mandate Stability Support Authority
Bashagha identified him as government in Sirte is likely ies. They eventually failed expired after Libya failed that reports to the Tripoli
Ahmed Alashabab, calling to further cement the politi- to do so, after Tripoli forces to hold presidential elec- government since 2021.
him a supporter who was cal divide. were bolstered by Turkish tions on schedule. The fail- Bashagha also addressed
defending him from militia- Bashagha, a former interior military help. Since then, ure was a major blow to criticism that in areas un-
men. minister and air force pilot, U.N. mediators have tried international efforts to end der his control when he
"We do not blame our- was named prime minis- to get the country on a a decade of chaos in Lib- was interior minister under
selves for having entered ter by the country's east- path towards elections. ya. The country reverted a previous Tripoli-based
the city," he said. "I had said based parliament in Febru- Dbeibah's appointment to its long-running political government, the situation
that I would not enter the ary. But his rival, Prime Min- last year, as part of the impasse, with rival govern- remained abysmal for mi-
capital unless conditions ister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, U.N.-led process, was ments claiming power. grants setting out from Lib-
were 100% favorable." based in Tripoli in the coun- clouded by allegations of Dbeibah has repeatedly ya on Mediterranean cross-
Oil-rich Libya has been try's west, has refused to corruption and bribery. As promised to hold elections ings to Europe.
wracked by conflict since step down, insisting he will an interim prime minister, soon. After being intercepted,
a NATO-backed uprising hand over power only to Dbeibah was to have led Bashagha said he doubts many are kept in squalid
toppled and killed long- an elected government. the country through elec- his rival can unite the coun- detention centers where
time dictator Moammar Last week's fighting in Tripoli tions in December, but the try and organize orderly vot- they face torture, as-
Gadhafi in 2011. It has was the most serious there vote never took place. ing, claiming Dbeibah does sault, and deprivation.q

Thai leader: Asia is gaining strategic, economic importance

TOKYO (AP) — Thai Prime pact that will help the Unit- crease economic growth
Minister Prayuth Chan- ed States work more close- by keeping markets open
ocha said Thursday that ly with Asian economies and inclusive as the world
a new U.S.-backed eco- on issues including supply faces disruptions such as
nomic pact is further proof chains, digital trade, clean the coronavirus pandemic
of how important and rel- energy and anticorruption and Russia's invasion of
evant Asia is today. efforts. Ukraine.
"Asia is still expanding and The signatories are Austra- "Sustainable economic
gaining more influence in lia, Brunei, India, Indone- growth is only possible
terms of strategic and eco- sia, Japan, Malaysia, New when we are able to adopt
nomic importance," Pra- Zealand, the Philippines, to any disruption," Prayuth
yuth said. Singapore, South Korea, said.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Thailand, the United States Thailand is the host of next
Japanese Prime Minister and Vietnam. Together year's Asia-Pacific Eco-
Fumio Kishida announced they represent 40% of the nomic Cooperation forum
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, left, shakes hands with earlier this week during a world's GDP. summit. Prayuth said APEC
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the start of their meet- visit by Biden to Japan that Prayuth is in Tokyo to attend is at a critical juncture, with
ing at the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo, Thursday, 13 countries have joined the "The Future of Asia" or- a need to achieve peace
May 26, 2022.
Associated Press the Indo-Pacific Economic ganized by Nikkei Inc. and drive economic
Framework, a new trade He stressed the need to in- growth.q