Libya: UAE FM praises Egypt calls for Libya ceasefire

The UAE’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday expressed the Emirates’ keenness to end the fighting in Libya, adding that the Egyptian initiative to put in a place a ceasefire is “a shining beacon of hope to achieve that goal.”

During a call with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry, Al Nahyan said he “valued the efforts made by Egypt that led to the Cairo Declaration”, which seeks to reach a ceasefire and a return to the political process starting today.

He called on Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and its UAE-backed rival the Libyan National Army (LNA) to respond to the Cairo Declaration.

Last week, the GNA made significant gains against the LNA, recapturing vital oil facilities and its major strongholds in the east of the country.

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said yesterday that LNA chief Brigadier General Khalifa Haftar only considers political solutions to the Libya crisis when he is losing militarily. “Haftar has always preferred the use of violence,” he explained.

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