Cairo: Al Azhar, Egypt’s influential Islamic seat of learning, has urged Arabs to take a “joint and firm” stance to resolve Libya’s long-standing conflict, rejecting foreignviolations of the Arab world’s sovereignty.
The call from the leading institution comes before the Arab foreign ministers hold a virtual emergency meeting Tuesday on Libya in response to an Egyptian request amid increasing military Turkish intervention in the oil-rich country.
”Al Azhar repeats its categorical rejection of the principle of guardianship that some countries are trying to impose on the Arab world and use it as a pretext to breach its sovereignty,” the institution said in a statement.
It called on the Libyan people to get united and discard wrangling that makes their country “prone to colonial ambitions and foreign interference.”.
Al Azhar, meanwhile, voiced backing for Egypt in all its measures aimed to safeguard its security and protect its borders.
“Al Azhar backs Egypt’s invariable keenness on a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis and President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi’s serious call for a ceasefire across all Libyan lands and resuming negotiations under the UN auspices,” it added.
Al Sissi vowed Saturday to protect his country’s long border with Libya where Turkey is establishing a foothold.
He said that any direct Egyptian intervention in Libya would be a legitimate act of self-defence, hinting at Turkey’s use of militias and foreign mercenaries there in support of an allied government based in Tripoli.
Al Sissi also said that potential Egyptian intervention would also be aimed to restore stability to strife-torn Libya and establish a ceasefire there.
On June 6, the Egyptian leader announced a peace plan to end Libya’s conflict including disbanding armed militias in the country, expelling foreign mercenaries and relaunching UN-sponsored talks.
