By Libya Herald reporter.
Tunis, 15 June 2017:
Russia’s deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov has told outgoing UN special envoy to Libya Martin Kobler that Moscow intends to continue to work with all sides in Libya to find a solution to its political crisis.
The promise came during a farewell phone call yesterday from Kobler to Bogdanov at which he thanked the Russians for their support for UNSMIL’s attempts to bring peace to the country.
The call followed one the day before to Bogdanov from Presidency Council (PC) member Ahmed Maetig during which the Russian deputy minister similarly spoke of his intention to maintain contacts with all sides.
Evidence of that came on the same day with an announcement from Bogdanov that the Beida-based interim prime minister Abdullah Al-Thinni would visit Moscow for talks this week on the Libyan situation.
“We are interested in the stability of the situation and to resolve those issues that divide Libyan society, on the basis of common interests and respect for the positions of each of the parties,” he was quoted by Sputnik news as saying.
Thinni was last in the Russian capital for talks in April 2015 during which he accused the West of being biased and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya. He also called on Russia to help get the UN arms embargo lifted so it could fight terrorists.
Most Western governments have rigidly spurned any contacts with the Thinni government on the basis that it is no longer legal and recognise only the PC administration.
Moscow, though, while recognising the PC, does not recognise its government of national accord on the basis that it has not been approved by the House of Representatives. It continues to recognise the Thinni administration as Libya’s legitimate government.
