Libyan FM: “Algerian diplomacy must be involved in any meeting on Libya issue

The African Union Committee of Five and Libya’s neighboring countries are slated to hold a meeting by the end of October, at the initiative of the AU, announced Monday, the Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and Arab League Abdelkader Messahel, during a press conference held jointly with Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Tahar Siyala.

Mr Messahel said that in addition to this meeting, scheduled to take place in Niamey (Niger), the Committee of Five (made up of African presidents) would hold a meeting on the current disquieting situation prevailing in Libya by the end of October at the latest.

Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Tahar Siyala is accompanying the Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, currently on a 2-day visit to Algeria.

For his part, the Libyan Foreign minister brought out Algeria’s efficient role in the resolution of the crisis in Libya through the meetings it hosted on several occasions, bringing together Libyan parties at issue, and its repeated calls for Libyan national reconciliation and unity and the preservation of Libya’s sovereignty.

“In all meetings on the Libya issue, Algeria was, undeniably, among the most influential countries,” asserted Mr Siyala.

As regards the national reconciliation, the Libyan FM said that his country had officially asked Algeria to share with Libya its successful experience in the field, with a view to drawing on it.

“We seek to draw on the civil concord policy, initiated by President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika,” said Siyala, adding that the “Presidential Council is convinced that the resolution of the crisis in Libya can only be achieved by Libyans themselves and through effective reconciliation”.

Mr Siyala pointed out that this issue was at the centre of discussions between the Libyan delegation and Algerian officials, adding that the Presidential Council called on Libyans, both those living in Libya and overseas, to foster a genuine national reconciliation.

For his part, Mr Messahel reaffirmed Algeria’s readiness to “assist Libyans in the process until its smooth achievement,” stressing that “Algeria has always underlined that the crisis in Libya couldn’t be thrashed out without dialogue and national reconciliation”.