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Egypt says it will 'deal only with elected government'
[Libya Herald] Egypt will only deal with the government appointed by the elected representatives of the Libya people, the Egyptian prime minister has said. He has also said that Egypt will fully collaborate with Libya on security issues. Egypt's security was Libya's security, he said, and Libya's security was likewise Egypt's.Ibrahim Mahlab was speaking at a presser with Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni at the offices of the Egyptian cabinet in Cairo following talks today between Thinni and Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh Sisi. Security, both in Libya and on the joint border, and its impact locally and regionally was the main subject of discussion. Sisi was earlier reported in the Egyptian press saying that the situation in Libya and the presence of "terrorists" there would now be his top priority. According to Mahleb, cooperation would be enhanced, especially on border control and in training for the Libyan armed forces. For his part, Thinni said that Libya was facing a severe terrorist threat, not just in Benghazi but in Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... and elsewhere as well. Some towns had been taken over by terrorists, he said, alluding to Derna, and he again labelled Operation Dawn forces in the capital as terrorists. The government would not talk to them, he said. Referring to Algerian plans to mediate between the rival factions in Libya, Thinni said that his government had received no invitation to any conference in Algieria. His statement is seen as an assurance to Egypt in view of the growing division between Algiers and Cairo over Libya. Posted by: Fred 2014-10-09 |
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