Moscow backs Algeria’s sustained mediation for Libya crisis settlement

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that his country backs up Algeria’ intense mediation efforts designed to help thrash out a political solution to the Libyan crisis, Algerian Foreign Affairs Ministry said Wednesday.

Speaking during his discussions with Minister of Maghreb Affairs, African Union and League of Arab States, Abdelkader Messahel, on the sidelines of the 4th Arab-Russian Cooperation Forum held in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Mr Lavrov hailed “Algeria’s intense efforts to reconcile the views of all Libyan belligerents with a view to achieving a much-awaited political solution”.

The two sides also highlighted the need for enhancing further Algerian-Russian relations in all fields of endeavor.

They tackled during their encounter various regional and international issues of common concern, notably the situation in Libya and in the Sahel, while underlining the convergence of views and assessments of all topical regional issues dealt with”.

The two ministers stressed the need for creating appropriate conditions for political solutions to the crises now besetting the region, the source said.

Regarding the vexed Libyan issue, Mr Messahel and Mr Lavrov called for shoring up  measures designed to clear the current hurdles hindering  the implementation of the Libyan political accord, through inclusive dialogue and national reconciliation among the Libyan parties at issue, so as to defuse the Libyan crisis and to allow the Libyans build their own future and address the various outstanding challenges, notably the edification of Libyan state institutions and the reinforced struggle against the terrorism scourge.

The two ministers also voiced satisfaction at the exceptional level of the bilateral relations, based on secular friendship and solidarity, while reiterating their common willingness to bolster the joint political coordination and consultation with on focus the latest strategic and security consultations held last July in Moscow.

Regarding bilateral cooperation prospects, the two ministers reaffirmed the necessity of pursuing joint efforts to prop up the economic partnership between the two friendly countries, particularly following Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal’s official visit to Moscow in April 2016 and in the light of the upcoming official visit to Algeria by the head of the Russian government, Mr Dmitri Medvedev, in the framework of the smooth implementation of the Declaration of Strategic Partnership, initialed in 2001.