By Ajnadin Mustafa.
Tripoli, 23 November 2015:
Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni said today that he backed the determination of new UNSMIL chief . . .[restrict]Martin Kobler not to reopen the political accord.
Gentiloni, who hosted their meeting in Rome, said afterwards: “I fully agree with Kobler on the strategy to be followed to give further impetus to, and conclude as quickly as possible, the complex negotiations on Libya and enable a government of national accord to be installed”.
Kobler was on his first official foreign trip in his new job. The choice of Italy was doubtless dictated because it, with Malta, is the EU state most affected by the surge of Libya migrants. In addition, Kobler’s new security adviser, Paolo Serra is an Italian general.
In his briefing to Gentiloni, Kobler would have mentioned plans to resume the Skirhat meetings in Morocco, though in a different form. He also said tha,t after his talks with the HoR in Tobruk and the GNC in Tripoli, he intended to consult other players in the dialogue.
Gentiloni reiterated Italy’s commitment to support Libya’s “stabilisation”once the Political Accord had been signed and a Government of National Accord put in place. [/restrict]
