Libya: Saleh Rallies Support Against Sarraj, Erdogan MoUs

Aguila Saleh, Libya's parliament president, speaks during the first session at parliament headquarters in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
Aguila Saleh, Libya's parliament president, speaks during the first session at parliament headquarters in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
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Libya: Saleh Rallies Support Against Sarraj, Erdogan MoUs

Aguila Saleh, Libya's parliament president, speaks during the first session at parliament headquarters in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori
Aguila Saleh, Libya's parliament president, speaks during the first session at parliament headquarters in Benghazi, Libya April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori

The head of Libya's parliament Aguila Saleh has launched a regional tour to rally support against the memoranda of understandings signed between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the head of the Libyan Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj.

On November 28, Ankara and Tripoli signed a memorandum on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.

In Cairo, Saleh met with Arab Parliament President Mishaal bin Fahm Al-Salami.

The two discussed means the Arab Parliament can help in preventing the repercussions of the MoUs. One of the ways is withdrawing Arab and international support for Sarraj’s GNA.

Salami reiterated the call for all Libyan parties to resort to dialogue and preserve national unity.

“The political solution inside Libya will only take place with the agreement of the Libyan parties, away from all negative external interference in the Libyan internal affairs,” he affirmed.

Saleh, for his part, said: “The signing of this agreement without ratification by the Libyan House of Representatives aims to cede the sovereignty of the Libyan State and its legitimate rights to the Republic of Turkey to enable it to invest in this area, which is null and void by all standards.”

“Libya and Turkey do not have common maritime boundaries. There are several countries including Greece and Cyprus, in addition to the overlap of maritime borders with other countries, including the Arab Republic of Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon, as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said.

Saleh also urged the United Nations not to acknowledge the legality of the document as the Libyan parliament does not recognize it.

On the other hand, the GNA acknowledged for the first time Monday, that its headquarters and Finance Ministry in the capital Tripoli were attacked by “armed militias.”

This followed a declaration by the interior minister saying that security was restored to the area.



Baghdad Prepares for Key Arab Summit, Eyes Broad Participation and Regional Consensus

Photo of the “Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership” held in 2021 (Reuters)
Photo of the “Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership” held in 2021 (Reuters)
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Baghdad Prepares for Key Arab Summit, Eyes Broad Participation and Regional Consensus

Photo of the “Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership” held in 2021 (Reuters)
Photo of the “Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership” held in 2021 (Reuters)

Iraq is stepping up preparations to host the Arab League Summit on May 17, expressing strong hopes that the gathering in Baghdad will lead to a unified roadmap for addressing regional and international crises.

The government reiterated its commitment to ensuring the summit’s success, highlighting Iraq’s founding role in the Arab League and the importance of Arab unity in the face of mounting geopolitical challenges.

“This summit comes at a time when the region and the world need a clear Arab stance,” a senior Iraqi official told Asharq Al-Awsat, saying Baghdad seeks that the summit produces “a framework for future cooperation and crisis management.”

While some political factions initially voiced concerns over the invitation extended to Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the powerful Coordination Framework coalition has softened its stance.

Coalition leader Uday Al-Khadran confirmed that all member parties support the summit, describing it as a major political and diplomatic milestone for Iraq.

“Hosting the summit reinforces Iraq’s regional standing and signals a return to its leading role in Arab affairs,” he said. Al-Khadran also emphasized that decisions regarding guest participation - such as that of the Syrian president - are the sole prerogative of the federal government.

Al-Sharaa received an official invitation last week to attend the summit, which will mark the 34th regular session of the Arab League and will be held alongside the fifth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit.

On the security front, Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari announced that a comprehensive plan has been finalized to safeguard the event.

The ministry confirmed on Thursday that Al-Shammari met with a delegation from the office of the Arab League Secretary-General in Baghdad to review ongoing preparations.

The visiting officials praised Iraq’s efforts, reaffirming the Secretary-General’s support for the success of the summit.

On Thursday, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid sent a formal invitation to Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman to attend the summit.

The message was delivered by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein during a visit to Muscat. Hussein also held talks with his Omani counterpart, Badr bin Hamad Al-Busaidi, focusing on regional issues and strengthening bilateral ties.