On Saturday, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, held a meeting in Rome with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, to discuss a number of issues of common interest, especially the situation in Libya.
Di Maio and Le Drian called for dialogue between Libya’s rival factions and urged foreign powers not to meddle in the war-ravaged country’s internal affairs.
The talks between the two top diplomats happened on the sidelines of the Rome Mediterranean Dialogues’ virtual forum as they took part in the panel discussion called ‘Heal and Rebuild: A Positive Agenda for the EU in the Enlarged Mediterranean’.
In a statement, the Italian foreign ministry stated, “The meeting allowed an exchange of views on the most recent developments in Libya with the identification of joint priority actions in support of the intra-Libyan dialogue processes. These processes are ongoing under the aegis of the United Nations, with reference to the Political Dialogue Forum and in parallel with the implementation of the ceasefire agreement signed on 23 October.”
The two top diplomats called on all Libyan parties to support the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) and reject any interference in Libya’s affairs.
They called for further coordination by the international community to achieve a Libyan-led solution, and in forming a unified government.
They also expressed their readiness to provide all possible support for rebuilding Libyan state institutions.