Algeria working to help Libya overcome internal crisis

The speaker of the Algerian People’s National Assembly, Mohamed Larbi Ould Khelifa, said on Sunday that his country has been working to help Libyan factions to overcome the country’s internal crisis without foreign interference, Anadolu agency reported.

“Algeria shares close historic ties with the Libyan people, and therefore it is working to help Libya exit this situation at the earliest and that its government is chosen without foreign interference,” he said.

Ould Khaelifa’s remarks came in a press conference held after his meeting with Chadian President Idriss Deby, who began a three days visit to Algeria on Saturday.

“We are all working to have political dialogue [and] to renounce violence and conflict which is destroying this country,” Ould Khelifa added.

According to Ould Khelifa, the situation in Libya was discussed as part of the talks with Deby. Algeria and Chad face the same security challenges, stressed Ould Khelifa, highlighting the two countries’ determination to “ensure the triumph of willingness of the political dialogue in Mali.”

Algerian foreign minister, Ramtane Lamamra, announced in November that efforts led by his country to launch dialogue between the conflicting parties in Libya have made progress, but that they will take time due to the complexity of the crisis.

Lamamra told state radio that, “Algerian diplomacy continues its efforts to reconcile the parties in Libya, which requires a great deal of time as things are very complicated and require a convergence of views.”

Algeria is reported to have been taking undeclared diplomatic efforts in coordination with the United Nations to encourage dialogue efforts in Libya.