On Wednesday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte discussed the Libyan crisis during a telephone call with US President-elect Joe Biden.
“During a long telephone conversation with Biden, I have reminded him of the importance of the Mediterranean region and the renewed interest in the Libyan issue,” Conte said at an end of year press conference.
The Italian Premier pointed out that Rome was paying special attention to the Libyan crisis, explaining that they are working within the framework of the European Union and NATO to resolve the conflict.
“We have never given up our constant interest in this file and aim to achieve stability in the country (Libya) by avoiding a military option and stopping external interference in accordance with the decisions of the Berlin Conference,” Conte said.
The PM indicated that the implementation of the ceasefire in Libya remains fragile, noting that “Italy will never back down from the goal of unifying Libyan institutions and for it to become a sovereign country again. Italy is at the forefront of working constantly with the Libyan parties, which is something that has been seen in the process of releasing the Sicilian fishermen detained in Benghazi.”
Conte concluded by saying that “problems are never solved by military attack,” rather, “there is always a place for dialogue.”