There is an urgent need to expel all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya, say Libya’s Neighboring Countries

Algiers , (ST) – The participants in the ministerial meeting of Libya’s neighboring countries held in Algeria reiterated the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Libya. They called for expelling all foreign forces and mercenaries from it as soon as possible and the settlement of the crisis in it.

In a statement reported by the Algerian News Agency, the foreign ministers participating in the meeting stressed the need to work on a settlement to the crisis in Libya away from any military solutions or foreign interference.

 The ministers called on the Libyan parties to return to the political track under the auspices of the United Nations within the framework of the Libyan Political Agreement and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

In their statement, the foreign ministers stressed their categorical rejection of terrorism and violence, whatever its form and source, and the need for coordination and cooperation in order to confront all threats to the security and stability of Libya and the countries of the region.

During the opening of the meeting, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ramtane Lamamra stressed the need to expel all foreign forces and mercenaries as soon as possible from Libyan territories. He also stressed the need to complete the unification of state institutions and achieve national reconciliation within the framework of settling the crisis in Libya.

Lamamra expressed his country’s rejection of the schemes of some foreign powers aimed at serving their own agendas at the expense of the strategic interests of Libya and its neighbors.

According to the Algerian Foreign Minister, the meeting comes as an affirmation of the importance of the role of the neighboring countries and the African Union in laying the foundations for security and stability in Libya and intensifying coordination with the neighboring countries to reach  an agreement  on holding the elections at the end of this year in Libya.

This is the second meeting of its kind .The first meeting was hosted by Algiers  in January last year, in which seven foreign ministers from the neighboring countries of Libya participated.

The meeting of Libya’s neighboring countries began in Algiers earlier on Monday and will continue until today, in which the participants will discuss settling the crisis in Libya and laying out a road map for organizing the general elections scheduled for the 24th of next December.

Raghda Sawas