Wednesday, 05 May 2021_High ranking Turkish delegation has paid a visit to Libya. The Turkish foreign minister as well as the country's defense minister were among the delegation. During the visit, Libya urged Turkey to implement a UN resolution on withdrawing foreign fighters from the North African country.
Turkey prioritizes Libya’s Integrity, sovereignty and independence; this is what Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told his counterpart Najla Al-Manqoush in a statement made after his visit along with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Intelligence Chief Hakan Fidan and Chief of Staff Yasar Guler to Tripoli.
During the meeting Al-Manqoush urged Turkey to help implement a UN security Council resolution demanding the retrieval of foreign fighters from Libya. Cavusoglu responded to the remarks by saying that Turkish troops and mercenaries sent by Ankara were deployed in Libya as part of an agreement made with a previous administration and were only present for the purpose of training.
This visit is seen by many as very important for Turkey to maintain good ties with the new Libyan government, and make sure agreements are not broken due to political changes in Tripoli. However, it seems that the new government does not welcome foreign troops anymore.
Turkey also signed an agreement with the previous Libyan government on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean which created tensions between Turkey and Greece.
Ankara sees a great importance in maintaining good relationships with Tripoli amid mounting tensions in eastern Mediterranean. Libya is still considered Turkey’s strategic partner. For Turkey, the visit meant to make sure things are still going well after the new Libyan interim government was sworn in.
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