Italy’s Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio, stated that Turkish presence in Libya is the result of the strong military support that Ankara provided to the Government of National Accord (GNA). This support turned out to be decisive in repelling the attack on Tripoli, by the Libyan National Army (LNA).
Di Maio told Italian newspaper, Il Foglio on Thursday, that Rome did not want to take the path of military intervention in Libya, in line with its constitution and values. He added: “It was the right choice (not to intervene), but it is clear now and perhaps for some time in the future, we will have to deal with the increasing Turkish presence in Libya.”
Di Maio stressed that the EU’s IRINI operation, tasked with monitoring the UN arms embargo on Libya, is an important opportunity for the Union to have a pioneering role in Libya and the central Mediterranean.
The Italian FM also mentioned that the UAE has a great role to play in Libya’s developments. He explained that for this reason, Abu Dhabi is a leading interlocutor for Italy, and this is confirmed by the continuous and intense interaction between the two countries.
The GNA declared a ceasefire last month. The truce was also agreed on, by the LNA. Many countries and organisations welcomed news of the truce, including Italy.