Egypt’s Head of General Intelligence Service (GIS) Abbas Kamel held a meeting with the Commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi on Saturday.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed security files of common interest between the two countries. Kamel stressed Egypt’s support to the 5+5 joint military commission talks outcomes and the permanent Libyan ceasefire.
GIS head also met with Libyan House of Representative (HoR) Speaker, Aguila Saleh and several other members of parliament. During the meeting Kamel emphasized Egyptian support to UN efforts aimed at reaching a political settlement in the Libyan crisis, and maintaining a ceasefire in the country. The two sides also tackled ways to boost bilateral relations between the two north African nations in the upcoming period.
In Early December, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that coming to a political solution is the only way to achieve stability and security in Libya. Both leaders agreed on the need to dismantle militias in Libya and remove mercenaries which are present in the country.
In October, GIS Head, has called for a “Libyan-Libyan” solution to the country’s crisis, without any external interference.
Egypt’s intelligence chief remarks came during a new round of negotiations between Libya’s rivals held in Cairo at the time.
The meeting is taking place under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), with representatives from the Libyan Parliament and the High Council of State also participating. Also present at the meeting are members of Libya’s Constitutional Commission.
Last week, UN Security Council called for all mercenaries and foreign fighters to leave Libya, as the fighting between the rival militias continues.
All 15 Security Council members called for the “withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya in line with the ceasefire agreement reached by the Libyan parties on 23 October, the commitments of the participants of the Berlin Conference, and the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
Libya has been wracked by violence and chaos since the toppling and killing of dictator Moamer Qadhafi in 2011.
