Turkish president’s envoy backs unified Libya

By Aaed Amira

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) - The Turkish President’s Special Envoy to Libya, Emrullah Isler, reiterated Turkey's support for Libya and other North African countries.

Speaking on the sidelines of a seminar held in Tunisia to discuss Turkey’s cooperation with the Maghreb, Isler said: "Turkey backs a consensus government in Libya which is welcomed by the all Libyans.

"The stability of North Africa is stability for Turkey as well.”

The envoy went on to reaffirm his country's support for "the will of the Arab Spring countries’ peoples and the Arab democracies with a view to find a better future for this region."

Libya has remained in turmoil since 2011, when a bloody popular uprising ended with the ouster and death of longtime strongman Muammar Gaddafi after more than four decades in power.

Since then, the country’s stark political divisions have yielded two rival seats of government -- one in Tobruk and another in capital Tripoli -- each of which boasts its own military capacity and legislative assembly.

Late last year, Libya’s rival governments signed a UN-brokered agreement to establish a unity government in an effort to resolve the country’s six-year political standoff.

The nascent unity government, however, has yet to assume its ruling mandate across the troubled North African country, which remains plagued by conflict between armed political factions.