On Saturday, the Libyan Parliament Speaker, Ageela Saleh, arrived in the Algerian capital for an official visit to discuss the crisis that has been ongoing in Libya for years, amid increasing calls for intra-Libyan dialogue and a political settlement.
Saleh was received by the President of the Algerian Parliament, Slimane Chenine, and the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sabri Boukadoum, according to the Sky News Arabia correspondent.
Saleh’s visit comes as Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune confirmed that his country’s position is neutral from all the conflicting parties in Libya.
“We have no expansionist or economic ambitions in Libya, all we want is to stop the fighting there,” said Tebboune.
The Algerian President added: “we would prefer to use what can be lost in wars in our local development instead of military losses that may be caused by military participation outside the borders far from what the Constitution stipulates.”
Tebboune indicated that Algeria is the only country that can bring the Libyan parties together, and that both the Commander of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Khalifa Hafter, and the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, have expressed their willingness to accept Algeria’s mediation.
“We can cooperate with neighbouring countries, whether Egypt or Tunisia, in order to find a solution to the Libyan crisis,” the Algerian president said.
Moreover, he noted that “our decisions were announced in the Berlin conference, and several countries violated the decisions taken by introducing weapons to Libya and contributing to drive wedges between the Libyans.”