Algeria, Italy urge cease-fire in Libya

By Abbas Meimouni

ALGIERS (AA) - Algeria and Italy on Thursday urged a cease-fire in Libya and a resumption of the political process to achieve a peaceful solution.

There is "very good coordination between Algeria and Italy regarding the Libyan issue on the principles that we insist on respecting the settlement of the crisis," to reach a "peaceful political solution," said Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum during a joint news conference in Algeria with his Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio.

"We reject any military intervention and [we] demand the prohibition of arms transfers and we want the negotiations to start between all Libyans in light of respecting the international law and with the cooperation and support of the international community, especially the neighboring countries," he said.

Boukadoum thanked Italy for supporting Algeria's position and the role it plays with regional partners and key actors in the Libyan issue to support the cease-fire.

Di Maio said he stood by the desire of European Union countries, Turkey and Egypt to stop the war between Libyans.

"All agree to a cease-fire," Luigi Di Maio said. "Now everyone should sit at one table to find the appropriate solution to this crisis.”

The discussions of the Algerian and Italian sides extended to bilateral cooperation in energy, modern technologies, tourism, as well as illegal immigration and other regional and international issues as stated by the interests of the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Since the ouster of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: one in eastern Libya supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates and the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition. Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces launched a military campaign last April to capture Tripoli from the GNA.

* Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara