President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated Ankara’s keenness on boosting cooperation with Libya, after the selection of the interim executive authority by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), held in Geneva.
Erdogan wished success to Mohammad Younes Menfi and Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, who have been selected as head of the Presidential Council and prime minister, respectively, according to a statement from the Turkish Presidency.
“Turkey will continue its efforts for political unity, territorial integrity, stability, peace, security, and prosperity in Libya and further, enhance its cooperation with Libya in the new phase,” Erdogan said.
He rebuked on Friday statements by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on withdrawing Turkish forces from Libya.
"While Macron saying that Turkey should pull out its troops, he still hasn't learned this job," said Erdogan. "He has to spend too much time learning it. Because Turkey is not there for pleasure. Before saying this to Turkey, there are other foreign soldiers from foreign countries, soldiers from Chad, soldiers from Mali, countries that were occupied by themselves."
Continuing to press on Macron and France, Erdogan added: “What were they doing in Mali? In Chad? First (Macron) should account for these.”
Turkey “goes to countries for peace,” he said. “We are in Libya upon Libya’s invitation. We are there to ensure unity and establish peace of mind for the Libyan people at once.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also welcomed in a statement on Friday the selection of the transitional executive authority in Libya by the LPDF.
The ministry expressed hope on the formation of a new national unity government within the framework of the roadmap set by the LPDF, stressing that this democratic step taken by the Libyans is an important opportunity to protect Libya's sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and political unity.
