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A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 4 May 2017

UAE says ‘significant breakthrough’ reached in Libya talks Egypt’s el-Sissi
visits ally United
JON GAMBRELL Hifter and operating out Arab Emirates
Associated Press of a base in the country’s
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- east, near the border with
ates (AP) — The United Egypt. AYA BATRAWY
Arab Emirates on Wednes- Egyptian President Abdel- Associated Press
day said talks between two Fattah el-Sissi, a close ally DUBAI, United Arab Emir-
rival Libyan leaders led to a of Hifter, is scheduled to visit ates (AP) — Egypt’s presi-
“significant breakthrough” the UAE on a trip beginning dent began a two-day visit
in efforts to end years of Wednesday. It’s unclear if Wednesday to the United
chaos that have gripped talks on Libya will continue Arab Emirates, a staunch
the North African nation during his visit and if he’ll be ally that has provided bil-
since its 2011 uprising. involved. lions of dollars in aid to his
A Foreign Ministry state- Libya descended into country’s ailing economy
ment marked the first of- chaos following the 2011 and unwavering support
ficial word on the talks the uprising that toppled and for Cairo’s crackdown on
day before between Field killed dictator Moammar the Muslim Brotherhood.
Marshal Khalifa Hifter and Gadhafi. The oil-producing In a show of solidarity, Presi-
Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, nation now is split between dent Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi
who had refused to meet rival governments and war- was greeted upon arrival
for months. ring militias. The turmoil has to Abu Dhabi with a 21-
The statement offered no transformed Libya into a gun salute.
specifics. Libya TV said major conduit for migrants The UAE’s state-run WAM
Tuesday the two agreed crossing the Mediterra- news agency said Abu
on holding presidential and nean Sea to Europe, and Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh
parliamentary elections has allowed the Islamic Mohamed bin Zayed Al
next year, but it’s unclear State group and other ex- Nahyan and el-Sissi dis-
how such a vote would be tremists to establish a pres- cussed the war in Yemen,
carried out in the fractured ence there. where a Saudi-led coali-
country. The agreement out of the tion that includes Emi-
On Tuesday, Libya’s armed meeting strongly favors rati and Egyptian troops is
forces posted a Facebook In this Tuesday, May 2, 2017, photo supplied by the Libyan armed Hifter, whose ambition to fighting Iranian-allied Shiite
photo of Hifter, a powerful forces, Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, left, poses for a become president is clear, rebels.
general who lived for years photograph with Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, right, in Abu Dhabi, said Mattia Toaldo, a senior They also discussed Lib-
United Arab Emirates. The two met Tuesday in the UAE capital for
in the U.S., and Fayez, the what the Libyan military described as “Arab and international policy fellow at the Euro- ya’s political turmoil. El-
prime minister of the United mediation” over that country’s long political crisis. pean Council on Foreign Sissi’s visit overlaps with
Nations-backed govern- (Libyan armed forces via AP) Relations. But he stressed UAE-brokered direct talks
ment in Tripoli. While the solution that brings stabil- That passage appeared that there are many rival underway in Abu Dhabi
two were known to be ity to Libya, should come to be a subtle dig at Qa- factions in Libya still not between two rival Libyan
traveling to the UAE’s oil- from, and be supported tar and Turkey, which had represented by any of its leaders. The talks are an
rich capital of Abu Dhabi, by the Libyans, and should supported Islamists in the splintered governments. attempt to further sideline
their face-to-face meeting be purely based on Liby- country. “It sounds pretty delusional Libya’s Islamist politicians,
came as a surprise. an-Libyan dialogue,” the The United Arab Emirates, to be able to hold elections which Egypt and the UAE
The UAE Foreign Ministry ministry said. “The interna- along with Egypt, have anytime soon,” Toaldo said. view as a potential threat.
described the meeting “as tional community has a re- backed Hifter, who Rus- “The complete risk is that WAM said the two leaders
an important step on the sponsibility to avoid more sia also has sought to cul- you have messy elections additionally exchanged
road to reaching a tangi- divisions and to encourage tivate. The UAE’s military is in a messy country with low views on Syria and consult-
ble progress in the political more cooperation among suspected of carrying out turnout, and therefore, low ed about ways to address
process in Libya.” the Libyans.” airstrikes in Libya supporting legitimacy for anyone win- terrorism. Egypt is struggling
“The UAE believes that any ning them.”q to contain attacks by the
Islamic State movement
Abbas stops funding Gaza electricity to pressure Hamas and other militant groups,
including two devastating
M. DARAGHMEH seized Gaza in 2007, driv- ernment would stop pay- possible. bombings at churches last
Associated Press ing out forces loyal to the ing for the electricity Israel Hamas spokesman Fawzi month. Sheikh Mohamed,
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) Western-backed Palestin- sends to Gaza, worth at Barhoum accused Abbas who sees an ideological
— The West Bank-based ian president. least $11 million a month. of siding with Israel in trying ally in el-Sissi, “reiterated
government of Palestinian After several failed recon- Hussein al-Sheikh, head to punish Hamas. the UAE’s support for Egypt
President Mahmoud Abbas ciliation attempts, Abbas of the Civil Affairs Depart- “Today, Abbas put himself ... due to its strategic and
will stop paying for elec- recently said he would ment, said Hamas profits in a confrontation with the historic importance in the
tricity in the power-starved pressure Hamas financially because it collects elec- Palestinian people,” Bar- Arab world,” according to
Gaza Strip and “dry up” the to force it to cede ground. tricity payments from Gaza houm said. the WAM statement.
flow of funds to the territo- The Palestinian leader was residents. “We are not go- Gaza residents have been The UAE, along with Saudi
ry’s Hamas rulers, a senior to meet Wednesday at the ing to continue financing enduring worsening power Arabia, supported el-Sissi’s
official said Wednesday. White House with President the Hamas coup in Gaza,” cuts — a result of border rise from army general to
Hamas accused the Abbas Donald Trump to discuss he told the Voice of Pales- blockades by Israel and president of Egypt in 2014
government of irrespon- ways of restarting long- tine radio station. Egypt that were triggered and his lethal crackdown
sible behavior and warned stalled Israeli-Palestinian Al-Sheikh said the aim was by the Hamas takeover. on the Muslim Brotherhood
that the announced cuts peace talks. Steps against to “dry up Hamas’ finan- Residents currently live with after its ouster from power.
would be disastrous for Ga- Hamas could bolster Ab- cial resources.” He said ef- rolling blackouts — six hours All three countries are wary
za’s 2 million residents. bas’ claims that he speaks forts would be made not on, 12 hours off — that of Islamist groups in the re-
Abbas and Hamas have for all Palestinians. to harm services to Gaza have further crippled an gion and have labeled the
led rival governments since In the West Bank, a senior residents, but did not ex- economy devastated by Muslim Brotherhood a ter-
the Islamic militant group official said the Abbas gov- plain how that would be conflict.q rorist organization.q