Libya’s Ambassador: “The Embassy of Algeria In Tripoli Will Reopen Soon”

Libya’s Ambassador in Algeria, Mr. Mohamed Mokhtar Mazen, discounted the CNN TV Channel’s report, which spoke about the existence of a slave market on the outskirts of the capital Tripoli, and stressed that the contents of the report “don’t reflect the official position of the Libyan state or the Libyan people”.

The Libyan diplomat said during a meeting with a number of journalists, at the Libyan embassy premises in upper Algiers, on Thursday, that “Libyans are very upset by the American TV report, because it is contrary to our values and principles that utterly refuse slavery and subjugation.

He asserted in this connection that the relevant Libyan authorities under the supervision of the Attorney General have begun to investigate what is stated in the TV report, stressing that those involved in the slave-related affair will be meted out the most severe penalties.

The Libyan ambassador said that his country is “a victim of the phenomenon of illegal immigration, and countries were called upon to control their borders, because Libya suffers from the large influx of illegal immigrants and the country’s financial burden of harboring immigrants is very heavy,” he underscored.

“”Libya is a transit country and not a receiving country, and we are the most vulnerable to illegal immigration and this is a common responsibility,” he said, adding that such reports were intended to “create pretexts” to intervene militarily in Libya.” 

He also underlined: “We reject foreign interference in our country’s internal affairs, except in coordination with the government of national reconciliation”.

As for the reopening of the Algerian Embassy in Tripoli, the Libyan Ambassador said that there’s every likelihood that the Algerian Embassy will reopen shortly in Tripoli,  stressing that the Libyan authorities are quite able to safeguard Algeria’s interests in the country.