Libya Urges Egypt for Flight Resumption

Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohammad al-Hawaij, during his meeting with the Egyptian Chargé d'Affairs, Mohammad Tharwat Selim (Libyan Ministry of Economy)
Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohammad al-Hawaij, during his meeting with the Egyptian Chargé d'Affairs, Mohammad Tharwat Selim (Libyan Ministry of Economy)
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Libya Urges Egypt for Flight Resumption

Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohammad al-Hawaij, during his meeting with the Egyptian Chargé d'Affairs, Mohammad Tharwat Selim (Libyan Ministry of Economy)
Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohammad al-Hawaij, during his meeting with the Egyptian Chargé d'Affairs, Mohammad Tharwat Selim (Libyan Ministry of Economy)

Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammad al-Hawaij received the Egyptian Chargé d'Affairs Mohammad Tharwat Selim in Tripoli to discuss a number of bilateral issues including the arrangements for the meeting of the Higher Joint Libyan-Egyptian Committee.

The committee will convene during this year's third quarter to review, develop, and activate a number of economic, investment, and residence agreements.

During the meeting, Hawaij stressed the need to resume flights through Cairo International Airport, operate civilian flights between the two countries, and facilitate the entry procedures through all ports.

He also called on Egypt to participate in the Benghazi exhibition and organize a Libyan-Egyptian business forum on its sidelines, within the framework of encouraging investment and supporting the partnership between the private sector of the two countries.

Egypt should participate in the Tripoli International Fair, to be held in September 2021, said Hawaij, indicating that this will enhance trade exchange between the two countries and create foreign markets for Libyan products.

Meanwhile, the Libyan National Army (LNA) and Volcano of Rage operation swapped 35 detainees in the Shwerif area, within the framework of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC).

Member of presidential council Abdullah al-Lafi vowed to continue efforts to help release all detainees, pointing out that the operation took place in the presence of Major General Mustafa Yahya, member and the rapporteur of the JMC, and a number of notables and sheiks of Shwerif.

Yahya affirmed that this exchange deal is not the first, and won’t be the last, praising the efforts that led to its completion.

Furthermore, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) to convene on May 26 and 27 to discuss the constitutional basis finalized by the Legal Committee.

A member of the Legal Committee of the LPDF, Zahra Naqi, said the discussions will focus on the matters that were not addressed by the legal committee.

She pointed out that there are some outstanding issues, which must be determined before the meeting.

She explained that the sessions will be a live broadcast to ensure transparency, participation, and the effectiveness of the discussions.

Naqi also called for a digital consultative session to be held by the UNSMIL ahead of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum and the presidential elections.

She warned that failure to hold the elections on time threatens the political legitimacy, which could divide the state institutions.



Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
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Geagea Calls on Hezbollah to Work with Lebanese Army

 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. (Lebanese Forces)

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea urged on Friday Hezbollah to engage with the Lebanese army and devise a plan to dismantle its military infrastructure south and north of the Litani river.

In a press conference Friday, Geagea criticized Hezbollah for opening a front with Israel and accused the Shiite group of committing a “major crime” against the Lebanese people.

“We could have done without the martyrdom of more than 4,000 people, the displacement of thousands and the destruction across the country,” he said. “Despite all these tragedies, Hezbollah continues to talk about a victory using a bizarre and disconnected logic that has no basis in reality.”

Geagea’s comments came two days after a US-brokered ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel went into effect. More than 3,900 people have been killed in Lebanon since Israel's conflict with Hezbollah escalated.

Geagea, whose Lebanese Forces Party holds the largest bloc in Lebanon’s 128-member parliament, also addressed Lebanon’s presidential deadlock. The country has been without a president for more than two years.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has scheduled a session for presidential elections in January. "Consultations with opposition factions and our allies will begin in the coming days to explore the possibility of agreeing on presidential candidates and bringing them to parliament,” Geagea said.