Dendias on his decision in Tripoli: Elections in Libya too long delayed

ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ

Defence Min Dendias receives Greek and Turkish delegations debating CBMs between the two countries

Defense Min. Dendias: Greek airspace will become impenetrable under defense reform

Defence Min Dendias returns to Greece from New York due to developments in the Middle East

Outlining the results of his recent trip to Libya, in an interview with the newspaper ‘Ta Nea’ released on Saturday, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias referred to the incident at Tripoli airport and his refusal to meet with the foreign minister of the Libyan Transitional Government, noting that its job was to lead the country to elections that had been too long delayed.

He also highlighted the United Nations position that the transitional Libyan government was not authorised to sign international agreements, noting that this was the result of “very hard work” by Greece within a UN framework.

Talking to the newspaper just hours after he decided not to get off the plane in Tripoli but instead continue his journey to Benghazi, Dendias explained that the stop had been agreed as a personal favour to the Chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, and on the strict condition that there would no contacts with the transitional government.

“We were going to go, to see him and leave,” Dendias said, adding that the appearance at the airport of the foreign minister “meant that the agreement was not kept”.

Asked why other foreign governments were willing to deal with the government of Libya, Dendias pointed out that they did not have to deal with the same issues as Greece – namely the second Turkish-Libyan memorandum, which completely ignores Greek sovereign rights and is considered illegal, null and void – while pointing out that “for all of them [the Libyan government] has a limited mandate, in other words it cannot sign agreements, and, dare I say, limited usefulness.”

He also pointed out that Egypt was against “substantive contacts” with the Tripoli government.
“They say that this government must hold elections. And not only does it not hold elections but it takes advantage of its continued presence and exploits Libya’s resources at will and signs [agreements] with the Turks. This cannot happen,” Dendias said.

The foreign minister said that Greece’s relations with Libya “will remain as they are, on our part”.
“We will try – and this was the purpose of the visit – to maintain a strong relationship with Eastern Libya, and therefore with the parliament and, consequently, in reality, with a body that lends strength to our position against the acceptance and agreement of illegal texts with the Turks,” he said, adding that Greece’s aim was to use its somewhat limited influence – given that it is not backed by either funds or troops – to prevent an expansion of the agreements with Turkey.

Concerning his meetings with Field Marshal Khalif Haftar and Libyan House Speaker Aguia Saleh Issa, Dendias said that these adopted exactly the line wanted by Greece.

“They stressed that the Turkish presence is damaging and unacceptable. It is important to meet with Saleh and Haftar because they had gone to Turkey. Erdogan himself met with them, also met with Libyan MPs…that is why I went to the parliament and explained our positions,” he said, adding that elections in Libya had been too long delayed.

The Foreign Minister of the Libyan transitional Government tried to force her presence at the airport so that I would have to meet with her. As a result, I cut short my visit to Tripoli and departed for Benghazi, where I outlined 🇬🇷 positions (statement in Benghazi, 🇱🇾). pic.twitter.com/HvXWb7NsBK

— Nikos Dendias (@NikosDendias) November 17, 2022

Source: ΑΝΑ – ΜPA

Greece an ‘indispensable partner’ with critical role in defending NATO’s SE flank, State department says