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LIBYA

France to ‘quickly’ reopen Tripoli embassy

France has begun work to reopen its embassy in Tripoli, the foreign ministry said Friday, in another sign of support for the rebel government in waiting that overthrew Muammar Qaddafi.

Published: 26 August 2011 17:36 CEST

“The process of reopening the French embassy in Tripoli has begun. This opening should take place quickly,” spokesman Bernard Valero told reporters.  

A diplomatic source said Antoine Sivan, an Arab-speaking diplomat already in Libya as Paris’ liaison with the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) in Benghazi, would be the first ambassador to the new regime.  

The NTC is moving its government to the capital despite ongoing clashes between its fighters and pro-Qaddafi hold-outs, and has urged the international community to support its fledgling administration.  

France was the first power to recognise the NTC as Libya’s government and President Nicolas Sarkozy has mobilised international military and diplomatic support for the revolution against the 42-year-old regime.  

Paris closed its embassy in Tripoli on February 26 and evacuated its staff amid fears that they would not be safe in a city then under the control of pro-Qaddafi forces.

IMMIGRATION

Libya conference to be held in Sicily in November: Italy

A Libya conference will be held in Sicily in November, Italy's foreign minister said Tuesday, with talks focusing on an "inclusive approach" to stabilising the war-torn north African country while not fixating on a date for elections.

Published: 3 October 2018 10:00 CEST
Libya conference to be held in Sicily in November: Italy
The coastline of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

The peace conference in Palermo on November 12 and 13 will aim to “identify the stages of a stabilisation process”, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi told the Senate.

The meeting would drive towards “a common solution, even if there are differences of opinion between the parties involved”, he said.

Four key leaders from Libya agreed at a conference in Paris in May to hold landmark polls on December 10 as part of a French-led plan to stabilise the crisis-hit country despite ongoing violence and deep divisions.

France, however, has faced opposition to the election timetable from the United States along with other European Union countries, notably Italy.

Milanesi said he had received “confirmation of interest” in the conference from Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar as well as support from the US, and was planning on discussing the dossier with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday.

“No deadlines will be imposed on the Libyans, nor tasks dictated,” Milanesi said.

Italy, a key supporter of the UN-backed government of Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli, said in September it wants to “maintain an active dialogue” with all well-intentioned actors in Libya.

The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was driven from power and killed in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.

Sarraj's Government of National Accord has been unable to form a functioning army or regular security forces and has been forced to rely on militias to keep Tripoli safe.

Militias formed the backbone of the uprising that toppled Kadhafi.

Since then rival administrations, including one allied with Haftar and based in the remote east, and the militias have competed for authority and oil wealth in the North African country.

Accused by his opponents of wanting to establish a new military dictatorship, Haftar refuses to recognise the authority of Sarraj's Tripoli-based GNA.

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