President Tebboune Reaffirms That Algeria Stands With Libyan People

The President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, reiterated his assertion that Algeria stands with the Libyan people

This came in a phone call, made on Wednesday evening, with the head of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord, Fayez Al-Sarraj.

The council’s media office stated that the call dealt with the latest developments in the situation in Libya and bilateral relations.

During the call, President Tebboune renewed backing for the Government of National Accord, stressing Algeria’s support for the Libyan people.

The President of the Republic also appreciated the contents of the issued statements that affirm a hovering political solution to the Libyan crisis and the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible.

For his part, Sarraj expressed his appreciation for Algeria’s continuous support to the security and stability of Libya, stressing the depth of relations between the two brotherly countries.

Earlier this week, the Minister of Communication, government spokesman, Mr. Ammar Belhimer, said that the return of Libya on the international scene and its freedom from the stranglehold of terrorism should boost the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), which is one of the objectives of the new Algeria.

“The return of Libya on the international scene and its liberation from the stranglehold of terrorism will give impetus to the project of Maghreb Union, which is one of the objectives outlined for the construction of the new Algeria, under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune,” Belhimer said in an interview with the Russian news agency Sputnik.

“The Libyan problem concerns the Libyans alone,” Belhimer reiterated, stressing that “Libya’s security is closely linked to that of Algeria, which applauds and supports all efforts to bring Libyans around the negotiating table, unite their ranks and preserve their territorial integrity.

Regarding the Algerian-Tunisian coordination on the Libyan file, the government spokesman recalled Algeria’s rejection of any foreign or military interference likely to undermine all political efforts made to reappropriate Libya by the Libyans, saying that the coordination with Tunisia was aimed at “blocking the way out to terrorist groups that aim to destabilize the region”.

Regarding the reality of coordination between Algeria and Turkey on this issue, Mr. Belhimer recalled that Turkey “is a partner country”, especially in the economic field, and whose relations with Algeria were “strong links” secular, adding that Algeria “has worked tirelessly to find solutions to the Libyan crisis with all countries that can bring positive proposals to bring this country out of the spiral of war and confrontation.

On the question of whether Algeria could authorize the use of its territory in the ongoing conflict in the Mediterranean, the Minister of Communication reiterated that “Algeria, based on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, rejects any form of infringement of national sovereignty and the use of the logic of force in the region, under any pretext whatsoever”.

Algeria “does not want to be part of a war of interests that hides the aims of dismantling countries in the region under the guise of the fight against terrorism or the pursuit of armed groups,” said the Minister of Communication.

Referring to bilateral relations with Russia, the Minister of Communication described them as “very privileged” thanks to a constant common cooperation.

Algeria and Russia maintain cordial, fraternal and strategic relations at the same time”, he stressed.

For Mr. Belhimer, the health crisis facing the world for months because of the Covid-19 pandemic, has highlighted “the quality and strength” of Algerian-Russian relations, through the medical aid sent to Algeria.