Shoukry Stresses Egypt's Consistent Stance on Libyan Issue

On Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry held a telephone conversation with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo, during which, they discussed the recent developments in the region, especially the situation in Libya.

During the talks, the two ministers exchanged viewpoints on the proposed solutions to the crises facing the region.

On his part, Shoukry stressed Egypt's consistent stance on the Libyan issue and the efforts exerted to support the path of a peaceful settlement through the Cairo Declaration, which is part of the outputs of the Berlin Conference.

Egypt's Shoukry and Libya

Libya has been split since 2014 between two rival administrations: the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Khalifa Haftar, in the east, and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) in the west.

The Egyptian initiative was launched on 6 June by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Haftar, and Libyan parliament speaker Aguila Saleh. It involves a ceasefire, an elected leadership council and a longer-term peace plan for the country.

Libya has been mired in chaos since the 2011 overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, with rival political and armed groups battling for control.

Tensions have been running high between Turkey and nations that back Haftar, notably Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The GNA signed security and maritime agreements with Turkey last year, and Ankara's military support has included drones that helped retake Libya's northwest.