Russia concerned over Turkey’s Libya motion

By Ali Cura

MOSCOW (AA) – Russia is concerned over a motion passed by Turkey’s parliament authorizing the government to send troops to Libya, a Russian lawmaker said Thursday.

Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, told reporters that military intervention is certainly not the best option to resolve the crisis in Libya.

Stressing that Russia has always supported a diplomatic solution, Slutsky said seeking a peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis should be maintained through the efforts of the UN and international community.

The Turkish parliament ratified a motion Thursday authorizing the government to send troops to Libya.

A total of 509 lawmakers attended the session, with 325 lawmakers voting in favor of the motion and 184 rejecting it.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) backed the motion while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and opposition Good (IYI) Party voted against it.

On Nov. 27, Ankara and Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) signed a pact on military cooperation as well as a pact on maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

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 another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN and international recognition.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar