Turkey Hosts Rival Libyan Leaders in Ankara to Discuss Military Unification
Turkey hosted talks between rival eastern and western Libyan leaders in Ankara to discuss military unification, aiming to bridge a decade-long political divide amid shifting regional alliances.
Turkey recently hosted high-level talks between rival leaders from eastern and western Libya in Ankara, aiming to reunify the divided North African nation, a senior Turkish official told AFP on Wednesday.
The discussions primarily focused on military unification, while political unity is expected to be addressed in subsequent stages. Military officials and diplomats from both sides of the Libyan divide participated in the meetings, with Ankara acting as a mediator.
Libya has been grappling with persistent instability since the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, remaining split between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. While historically supporting the Tripoli-based government, Turkey has steadily improved its ties with eastern authorities in recent years.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hinted at the diplomatic breakthrough on Friday, stating that conditions are ripe for permanent unification. Fidan emphasized that integrating the separately controlled military units under a single umbrella remains a cornerstone of the national reconciliation process, promising positive developments soon.
The mediation efforts align with Turkey's Blue Homeland maritime doctrine in the Mediterranean. Notably, the eastern-based Libyan parliament recently approved a maritime delimitation agreement with Turkey, a pact previously rejected, drawing criticism from Greece and Cyprus amid mounting pressure from the USA and the UN.
