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By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 4 November 2016:
Turkey has again said that it wants to reopen its embassy in Tripoli and hopes to do so before the end of the year but will only do so when the city is deemed sufficiently safe.
The return of Turkish diplomats was one of the subjects promised by Turkey’s special envoy to Libya, Emrullah Isler, during a two-day visit to Tripoli which ended yesterday.
At present, Turkey’s only diplomatic presence it is consulate in Misrata.
The Presidency Council has been trying to persuade governments of those countries that pulled their embassies out of the city in 2014 to return as soon as possible as a demonstration of their support for it. Some are now said to e actively considering the idea, among them Italy.
Over the two days, Isler met the Presidency Council head Faiez Serraj, PC member Abdelsalam Kajman, acting defence minister Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi and State Council head Abdul Rahman Sewehli as well as the head of the new Presidential Guard Najmi Al-Nakua and Misrata mayor Mohamed Eshtewi, among others.
As well as a possible reopening of the embassy, the resumption of Turkish Airlines flights to Libya and of construction work at the 640-MW power plant in Obari were also discussed. Enka Engineering started work on it before the revolution but was stopped in 2011. Work recommenced in October 2012 but was again suspended in September 2014 because of the security situation in the area. The area is now relatively calm and it has been agreed that work at the 98-percent completed plant should begin as soon as possible.
Reports, attributed to Isler that the requirement for Libyans to have a visa would soon be abolished are untrue according to Turkish officials. They point out that while steps are being taken to ease the visa process for some applicants such as businessmen, there are no plans as yet to end them.
Isler was accompanied by Turkish MP Yalcın Akdogan, a close ally of President Erdogan, as well as Turkish ambassador to Libya Ahmet Dogan and his deputy, Tufan Hobek.
