Abu Dhabi: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah stressed on Tuesday that the kingdom and Algeria share the same position on the Libyan crisis.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received the minister in Algiers for talks on regional and international developments and bilateral relations.
Prince Faisal conveyed to the president the greetings of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
Discussions focused on major regional affairs and coordination and cooperation between Riyadh and Algiers.
Prince Faisal also met with his Algerian counterpart Sabri Boukadoum.
“We share similar positions on regional developments, especially current challenges, specifically the Libyan crisis,” said the Saudi official.
He stressed that the solution must be reached among the Libyans themselves. “The peaceful settlement must end the conflict and protect Libya from terrorism and foreign meddling,” he added.
He underlined the importance of maintaining Saudi-Algerian coordination, stressing the Riyadh and Libya’s neighbours are keen on reaching a settlement that restores the country’s stability.
In Tunisia, he met President Kais Saied and praised “the converging views between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia on the challenges facing the region”.
Libya plunged into violence in 2011 with the NATO-backed uprising that overthrew then killed longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
It has been plagued by persistent conflict ever since, with rival administrations backed by a plethora of armed groups and foreign powers.
Prince Faisal’s visits came a day after he met his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo, which has mooted the possibility of sending troops to Libya in support of Haftar.
Speaking after the meeting, the Saudi diplomat said he had voiced the kingdom’s “full support for the Egyptian stance” in Libya and called for “peaceful political talks and a ceasefire”.