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Libya summons envoy to Greece for consultations, issues protest note

November 21, 2022 at 10:45 am

The Libyan Government of National Unity yesterday instructed its ambassador in Athens to issue a protest note to Greece to clarify the circumstances of its foreign minister’s refusal to disembark from a plane during his visit to Tripoli last Thursday.

A statement by the Libyan Foreign Ministry said: “Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush summoned Ambassador [Hamed Bashir] Al-Mabrouk for consultation to clarify the diplomatic issue caused by Greek minister Dendias on Thursday, November 17” when he refused to disembark from his plane during his visit to Libya.

The statement noted that this behaviour goes against international diplomatic norms.

“Foreign Minister Mangoush asked Libya’s ambassador to Athens to issue a protest note to the Greek authorities to clarify the behaviour of Foreign Minister Dendias,” it added.

“Such unconsidered behaviours have repercussions that jeopardise Libya’s confidence and stability, and indirectly invite division in the country,” the statement said.

On Thursday, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh condemned Dendias’ behaviour, saying Tripoli will not allow such practices.

This came in response to Dendias’ refusal to get off his plane when it landed in the capital and he then left for Benghazi and met the commander of the eastern Libyan forces, Khalifa Haftar.

READ: Libya decries Greek Foreign Minister’s refusal to get off plane in Tripoli