(AFP File Photo)
Libyan foreign minister Mohamed Abdulaziz arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to meet with Egyptian officials including Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb.
Abdulaziz was joined by the Libyan ministers of Health, Culture and Transportation and were expected to discuss the latest developments inside Libya and explore ways of helping to ease the situation in Egypt and achieve some reconciliation.
Former rebel General Khalifa Haftar launched a campaign in May to root out “terrorism” in the coastal city of Benghazi; however, the authorities have denounced his actions, labelling him an outlaw, while Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb labelled him “an enemy of Islam”.
Egypt’s foreign ministry has expressed its growing concerns over the situation in Libya in recent months.
Last week the Egyptian foreign minister expressed “deep concern” over the situation in Libya during a meeting of regional neighbours Algeria, Libya, Chad, Niger and Tunisia, a representative from Sudan and the Secretary General of the Arab League as well as the Commissioner of the African Union.
He pointed out the “escalating increase in the pace of extremism and violence in Libya, and the proliferation of weapons in the hands of groups outside the framework of the Libyan government,” stressing that “Egypt will make every effort to maintain the unity of Libya, [providing] all necessary support for the [Libyan] constitution drafting committee”.
Egypt has issued and reiterated a travel warning for citizens travelling to Libya. Egyptians are advised not to travel to Libya unless it is absolutely necessary, and to travel by airplane not road only “after obtaining a valid visa issued by the Libyan embassy in Cairo”.
