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Libya to Re-Open Its Embassy in Syria after 8-Year Hiatus


Mon 02 Mar 2020 | 02:43 PM
H-Tayea

Libya announced on Sunday that it will re-open its embassy in Damascus on Tuesday after an eight-year hiatus.

The Syrian Ministry of Information also stated that the Libyan embassy will resume its diplomatic work in Damascus for the first time after it was suspended in 2012.

It added that a Libyan delegation, led by Haftar government’s Prime Minister, Abdul-Rahman Al-Ahiresh will attend the embassy re-opening ceremony.

The delegation, which included Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdul-Hadi Al-Hawaij, the Minister of Defense and a number of security and political officials, held a meeting on Monday with the Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus.

During the meeting, they discussed ways of cooperation and strengthening relations between the two parties, in addition to addressing latest developments, especially with regard to countering the Turkish interferences in the two countries.

The delegation also met on Sunday with Syria's foreign minister Walid al-Moallem to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and ways of coordination to confront common pressures and challenges, foremost of which is the Turkish aggression against the sovereignty of both countries in their affairs.

Other local sources said that the visit was aiming at “coordinating cooperation between the two government on the political and security levels.”

Since the NATO-backed ouster of Moammar Qaddafi in 2011, the North African state that holds Africa’s largest proven oil reserves has been engulfed by violence and political turmoil.

Two major rival forces are fighting each other for control: the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, which is endorsed by the UN, and one in the eastern city of Tobruk allied with Haftar. His Libyan National Army advanced on Tripoli eight months ago, where it’s become bogged down on the outskirts and has been unable to capture the city.

“Within six months after the LNA eventually captures Tripoli, the Haftar-allied government plans to conduct national elections and establish a new ruling authority,” said Lahweej.

Sarraj, whose GNA forces are branded as terrorists by Haftar despite cooperating on counter-terrorism with the U.S. and its allies, will be “dealt with according to the law,” he said. “He has betrayed Libya by cooperating with the Turks.”