Turkey backs peaceful settlement of Libya crisis

ANKARA

Turkey’s foreign minister on Saturday highlighted the importance of the peaceful settlement of the dispute in Libya.

"[…] international community should display a united and principled stance to stop the clashes in Libya," Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a Twitter message after meeting his Libyan counterpart Mohamed Taher Siyala in Khartoum, where they gather to attend the signing ceremony of a power-sharing deal between rival sides in Sudan.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.

The oil-rich country has since seen the emergence of two rival seats of power: one in eastern Libya, with which military commander Khalifa Haftar is affiliated, and the Tripoli-based GNA, which enjoys UN recognition.

The signing ceremony of the Constitutional Declaration in Khartoum covers arrangements concerning the Transitional Civilian Authority, between the Forces of Freedom and Change and the Transitional Military Council, according to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday.

On Aug. 4, Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the opposition alliance Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) initialed the declaration towards a transition to civilian rule following the ouster of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir.

Sudan has been in turmoil since April 11, when the military establishment announced al-Bashir’s removal after months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.

As part of his visit, Cavusoglu will meet with Sudanese officials and representatives from some other countries participating in the signing ceremony.

ANKARA

Turkey’s foreign minister on Saturday highlighted the importance of the peaceful settlement of the dispute in Libya.

Libya has remained beset by turmoil since 2011, when long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising after four decades in power.

Sudan has been in turmoil since April 11, when the military establishment announced al-Bashir’s removal after months of popular protests against his 30-year rule.

As part of his visit, Cavusoglu will meet with Sudanese officials and representatives from some other countries participating in the signing ceremony.