Cairo considers the parliament, based in eastern Libya, to be the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people amid ongoing clashes between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and forces of the UN-recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Ali Abdel-Al, Egypt's parliamentary speaker, said on Saturday
BEIRUT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th December, 2019) Cairo considers the parliament, based in eastern Libya, to be the only legitimate representative of the Libyan people amid ongoing clashes between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and forces of the UN-recognized Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), Ali Abdel-Al, Egypt's parliamentary speaker, said on Saturday.The statement was made in the wake of the recent call by Germany, France and Italy for a halt in hostilities in Libya and a return to negotiations under UN auspices. The countries reaffirmed on Friday their support for the UN and its special envoy, Ghassan Salame, and stressed that long-term peace in Libya is possible only with a political settlement.
"I confirm ... Egypt's vision of the situation in Libya and perception of the parliament [based in eastern Libya] as the only legitimate body representing the Libyan people," the speaker said, as quoted by the pan-Arab Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
Libya has suffered from unrest since 2011, when its long-time leader, Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown and killed. The country has since been ruled by the two competing governments. The country's east is controlled by the parliament and its allied LNA, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, while the west is governed by the UN-backed GNA. In April, the situation deteriorated when the LNA launched an offensive to take control of Tripoli.
