libya government denies accord for italy ships to deploy
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Libya government denies accord for Italy ships to deploy

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Libya government denies accord for Italy ships to deploy

Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni welcomes Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj
Tripoli/Rome - Arab Today

Libya’s UN-backed unity government chief has denied that an agreement has been struck with Rome to deploy Italian vessels in Libyan waters to combat human trafficking.
Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj “denies having asked Italy to send naval vessels into Libya’s territorial waters or fighter planes into Libyan airspace,” his Government of National Accord (GNA) said in a statement late on Thursday.
“Such allegations are without any foundation,” Al-Sarraj was quoted as saying in the statement. “Libya’s national sovereignty is a red line that nobody must cross.”
Tripoli and Rome had agreed to “complete its (Italy’s) support program for (Libya’s) coastguard through training and armament to allow it to save migrants’ lives and to confront the criminal (trafficking) gangs,” Sarraj said.
The Foreign Ministry, in a statement carried by pro-GNA news agency LANA, said the Italian government had been asked “to provide logistical and technical support to the Libyan coastguard.”
“This measure could require the presence of Italian ships in Tripoli port, only for this purpose and if necessary,” the ministry explained.
The GNA chief, whose administration’s control of the lawless country is limited, said he had also asked Rome “to support border guards” in southern Libya, the main entry point for migrants aiming to reach the shores of Europe, and to supply an electronic surveillance system.
Italy agreed on Friday to give more support to the Libyan coastguard to curb migrant flows, but Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni played down the scope of the mission to allay concerns in Tripoli.
A government source told Reuters on Thursday that Italy intended to dispatch several ships to Libyan waters by the end of August while Corriere della Sera newspaper said planes, helicopters and drones would also be deployed.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Gentiloni said Italy would only act in accordance with the Libyan authorities and gave no details of what his government planned to do.
“This is an important initiative because it can give a significant help toward strengthening Libyan sovereignty. It is certainly not an initiative aimed at hurting Libyan sovereignty,” he told reporters.
“It would certainly not reflect reality to say the government was planning to send an enormous fleet and squadrons of aircraft,” he said.
Some 600,000 migrants, fleeing war and economic hardship at home, have reached Italy by sea from North Africa since 2014, pushing immigration to the top of the political agenda.
Most migrants have embarked from Libya, where people smugglers operate with impunity in the turmoil that has gripped the country since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Thousands have drowned after their overloaded and flimsy boats capsize.
Italy has been at the forefront of efforts to make the Libyan coastguard more effective in the fight against people smugglers, training its members and helping the Tripoli government to upgrade its fleet.
Libyan officials say they need far more equipment than the repaired vessels being delivered by Italy, none of which is new.

Source: Arab News

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

libya government denies accord for italy ships to deploy libya government denies accord for italy ships to deploy

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

libya government denies accord for italy ships to deploy libya government denies accord for italy ships to deploy

 



GMT 15:28 2017 Tuesday ,17 October

Tunisia economic growth picks up in first quarter

GMT 22:57 2017 Saturday ,23 December

Saif bin Zayed attends wedding ceremony in Al Ain

GMT 14:01 2013 Saturday ,20 April

Iran sees no need for OPEC emergency prices meeting

GMT 08:58 2017 Wednesday ,05 April

North Korea fires missile into Sea of Japan

GMT 07:17 2016 Friday ,15 January

'Harry Potter' star Alan Rickman dies aged 69

GMT 14:43 2015 Saturday ,26 December

Nazaha head arrives in Cairo

GMT 03:48 2017 Wednesday ,04 October

Pakistan’s ousted PM Sharif “back with full force”

GMT 21:28 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Egypt, Vietnam mull investments in SC ZONE

GMT 00:59 2017 Saturday ,25 February

Wobbling suns, gassy giants and the Goldilocks zone

GMT 09:03 2017 Saturday ,06 May

Foreign policy: Where France's candidates stand

GMT 01:16 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Jaywalkers in Oman will be fined

GMT 05:00 2017 Tuesday ,24 October

World downhill champion Stuhec out of Olympics

GMT 07:13 2017 Wednesday ,29 November

Union Coop dedicates AED46m for price reduction
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday