Libya's Haftar unconcerned about peace: Turkey

By Mehmet Tosun

ANKARA (AA) - Forces loyal to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar are not concerned about peace or a cease-fire in Libya, Turkey’s president said Monday.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Gambia with his Gambian counterpart Adama Barrow, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Haftar's spokesman comment saying that the process in Libya is in a critical position is "very meaningful".

"We hope that those who came to Berlin summit on Jan. 19 also heard those comments and will determine their attitude accordingly," Erdogan said, referring to Haftar's uncompromising attitude.

On Jan. 12, parties in Libya announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by the leaders of Turkey and Russia. But two days later in Russia, talks for a permanent cease-fire ended without an agreement after Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal.

A week later, Haftar accepted terms in Berlin to designate members to a UN-proposed military commission with five members from each side to monitor the implementation of the cease-fire.

Since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya: Haftar’s in eastern Libya supported mainly by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and the Government of National Accord (GNA) in the capital Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.