By Libya Herald reporter.
Benghazi, 1 November 2015:
The foreign minister of Algeria, Egypt and Italy will again meet tomorrow, Monday, in Algiers to . . .[restrict]discuss the situation in Libya. The three are expected to assess ways they can get both sides of the Libyan divide to compromise and allow a government of national unity to take power.
“The ministers will examine the situation in Libya and means likely to accelerate the inter-Libyan dialogue process, sponsored by the United Nations, to find a political solution leading to the formation of a national unity government,” a statement from Algeria’s Ministry of Maghreb, Africa and Arab Affairs read. The three ministers – Algeria’s Abdelkader Messahel, Egypt’s Sameh Shukry and Italy’s Paulo Gentiloni – will be looking particularly at the consequences for regional stability as a result of the chaos in Libya.
The three ministers first starting holding regular talks on Libya earlier this year.
Despite the talks, however, there is rivalry between Cairo and Algiers on the issue, with the Egyptians openly supporting the House of Representatives (HoR) and the Thinni government while Algeria is seen as closer to the General National Congress, although officially neutral.
However, with the UN-brokered Libya Dialogue facing stalemate at present, Egypt is seen as taking centre stage in events, as the UN, the EU and the HoR lobby it for their respective positions.
Last week, UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon was in Cairo trying to persuade the Egyptian government to put pressure on the HoR to agree to the Government of National Accord and the Dialogue agreement. The HoR president, Ageela Salah Gwaider also arrived in Cairo intent on ensuring that it does no such thing and continues to back the Libyan parliament. He is still there.
Prime Minister Abdullah Thinni and his chief of staff, Major-General Abdul Razzaq Al-Nazhuri were also due in Cairo for the same reason.
The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, is meanwhile due in Cairo tomorrow for two days of talks in which Libya will be major component. She will meet both President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi and with Foreign Minister Shukry when he returns from Algiers. [/restrict]
