Algeria Welcomes The Ceasefire In Libya, Fears Its Collapse

Algeria welcomed the ceasefire agreement announced by the Libyan Government of National Accord, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj and Aguila Saleh, Speaker of the Tobruk Parliament, and it included consensus on common principles to overcome the Libyan crisis.

“Algeria welcomes the declarations made by the chairman t of the Presidency Council, Fayez el-Sarraj, and the Speaker of Parliament, Agila Saleh, which call for a cease-fire in all Libyan lands and to activate the political process through an inclusive dialogue leading to an end to the Libyan crisis”, statement of the Algerian Foreign Ministry said.

“Algeria received with satisfaction this consensual initiative that reflects the will of the Libyan brothers to settle the Libyan crisis and consecrate the sovereignty of the brotherly Libyan people”, the statement added.

“Algeria, under the historical and geographical ties it unites it with the brotherly Libyan people, it had sought from the beginning of the conflict to move on all regional and international levels to stop the bleeding in Libya, and reduce the risks of the crisis to the security and stability of the region”.

“Algeria also called, in coordination with neighbouring countries and under the auspices of the United Nations, for a comprehensive dialogue without exclusion between the various parties in Libya by engaging in the path of a political solution, in a manner that guarantees the unity and stability of brotherly Libya and the sovereign decision of its people”.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement renewed Algeria’s readiness to embrace a comprehensive dialogue between the Libyan brothers, intending to reach a peaceful solution that preserves the interests of Libya and the brotherly Libyan people, which means a conviction of the Algerian side that this agreement remains fragile unless it is fortified with a dialogue that includes all the parties in the eastern neighbour.

In the same context, the spokesman for the Libyan Foreign Ministry, Mohamed el-Qeblawi, said that Algeria’s Foreign Minister, Sabri Boukadoum, contacted his Libyan counterpart, Mohamed Taha Siala, and asserted in the phone call that “Algeria welcomes the call for a ceasefire, and the urgent need to implement the political agreement quickly”.

The Interior Minister of the recognized government, Fathi Bashagha, praised the Algerian position, and said that “Algeria’s position in support of peace in Libya is appreciated and we are proud of it.” He added in his tweet: “The government of Algeria is always looking for an effective role to push the peace and reconciliation process in Libya”.

The two parties are awaiting the embodiment of this agreement, a political dialogue that faces many challenges, and Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum said that this political agreement should be implemented “as soon as possible”.

Both the internationally recognized Libyan government and the Tobruk House of Representatives, loyal to the retired general, Khalifa Haftar, announced in two simultaneous statements the immediate ceasefire, a development that surprised many observers.

The statement issued by the internationally recognized government stipulated that “an effective ceasefire requires that the Sirte and Al-Jufra regions become demilitarized, and the police forces from both sides agree on security arrangements within them, and holding presidential and parliamentary elections next March, according to a constitutional rule as well, which will be an occasion to realize agreement among the Libyans”.

Meanwhile, the Tobruk House of Representative’s statement said, “The ceasefire makes the city of Sirte a temporary seat for the new Presidential Council, bringing together all Libyans closer, and an official security police force from various regions secures it in preparation for the unification of state institutions”.

So far, the identity of the countries that sponsored this agreement has not been revealed, and the Minister of the National Accord Government, Fathi Bashagha, said in a tweet that “the ceasefire agreement sponsored and supported by brotherly and friendly countries is a national gain deserving praise and we look forward to developing cooperation with America, Europe, Turkey, Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations, and we can together achieve a prosperous future with a patriotic spirit that brings together allies and brothers to work together with Libya”.