UAE condemns Turkish government’s decision to send troops to Libya
The UAE on Friday condemned the Turkish government’s decision to send military troops to Libya as a clear violation of international legitimacy and UN Security Council resolutions on Libya.
In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya is a clear breach of international resolutions on Libya, specifically Security Council Resolution No.1979 for 2011 under which a Sanctions Committee was established to oversee arms embargo imposed on Libya. The resolution also bans military cooperation with Libya, except with the approval of the Sanctions Committee.
The ministry stressed that the Turkish decision hinders restoring stability to Libya. The UAE warned against any Turkish military intervention in Libya and its repercussions, reiterating its rejection of any flimsy legal justifications used by Turkey. Such an intervention poses a clear threat to Arab national security and stability in the Mediterranean region.
The ministry underlined the dangerous role played by Turkey in supporting extremist and terrorist organisations by transferring extremists to Libya. It highlighted the urgent need to support the restoration of the national state and its institutions in Libya in the face of terrorist militias and armed groups supported by Turkey.
The statement also referred to the recent MoUs signed by Turkey and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al Sarraj' as void and illegal, considering it a violation of the Libyan Political Agreement, signed in Skhirat, Morocco, in December 2015.
The ministry called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in addressing this Turkish development, which is a harbinger of regional escalation, and its disastrous effects on international efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement through through the Berlin process and international efforts.
