A senior Turkish official said, Monday, that Egypt's warning that it might interfere directly in neighboring Libya will not deter Turkey from supporting its Libyan allies, amid tensions between Egypt and Turkey, the two competing regional powers.
Turkey supports the Government of National Accord (GNA), which repelled a 14-month-old attack on the capital, Tripoli, by the Libyan National Army forces led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar backed by Russia, the UAE, and Egypt.
Ankara's entry into the Libyan conflict has raised tension with Haftar's supporters and with France.
On Saturday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said that Cairo had a legitimate right to interfere in Libya and ordered the army to prepare for any mission overseas if necessary.
"Sisi's statements are baseless," the Turkish official told Reuters, asking to be anonymous.
“Turkey and GNA will not deviate from their resolve," he added.
He added that the GNA, which is backed by Turkey, continues to prepare to take control of the strategic coastal city of Sirte, which was captured by Haftar forces in January, and the Al Jufra district to the south.
Yasin Aktay, deputy head of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, said that Egypt's direct intervention would not be supported by Algeria, another neighbor to Libya, and would place Egypt in a confrontation with Turkey, a member of NATO.
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi[/caption]
"Sisi has neither the power nor the audacity to do so," he added. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia expressed support for Sisi's comments on Saturday.
Egypt Launched Cairo Declaration on Libya
Earlier this month, Egypt called for a ceasefire in Libya as part of a new initiative welcomed by the United States, Russia, and the U.A.E, but Turkey rejected it.
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi (c), Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh (L) and LNA Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar (R)- Press Photo[/caption]
On June 6, Sisi received Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and National Army Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and announced an initiative to end the conflict in the neighboring country.
The Cairo Declaration emphasizes the unity, integrity, and independence of the oil-rich country's lands, respecting all international efforts, initiatives, and relevant Security Council resolutions, and accordingly, the commitment of all parties to the ceasefire from June 8, 2020.
The initiative is mainly based on the outcomes of the Berlin Summit, which resulted in a comprehensive political solution that includes clear implementation steps (political, security, and economic tracks) and the respect for human rights and international human rights law.
Each of the three regions (Eastern, Western and Southern) shall form an electoral entity whose members are chosen from the House of Representatives and the State Council representing each region, along with tribal elders and notables, and taking into account an acceptable representation of women, youth, political elites, intellectuals, and unions.
Thus, the three committees meet under the auspices of the United Nations and each region chooses its own representative, either by consensus or via election, within a period not exceeding 90 days, according to the initiative.
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