Russia to relaunch Libya embassy
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says his country will relaunch its Libya embassy, temporarily basing it in Tunisia, as a conflict escalates between rival Libyan sides.
“We took a decision to reopen the Russian embassy in Libya, which will at this stage be headed by Charge d’Affaires Jamshed Boltaev,” Lavrov said at a meeting with the speaker of Libya’s pro-rebel parliament, Aguila Saleh, on Friday.
Russia evacuated embassy staff and their families from Libya in October 2013 after an armed faction attacked the diplomatic mission in Tripoli.
Libya has been in chaos since 2011, when a popular uprising and a NATO intervention led to the ouster of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Russia has backed the rebels in the Libyan conflict, but it has denied accusations of providing them with radar systems and fighter jets.
Lavrov said the head of the embassy “will temporarily be based in Tunisia, but I want to emphasize that his functions include representing Russia across all [of] Libya’s territory.”
A major battle looms between Libyan government forces and the rebels over control of the strategic city of Sirte.
Since 2014, Libya has been split between two rival parties: the internationally-recognized government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli, and the parliament, based in the eastern city of Tobruk, supported militarily by rebels under the command of strongman Khalifa Haftar.
The rebels are backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and France, besides Russia.
Turkey, meanwhile, has been openly aiding the internationally recognized government in Tripoli. That assistance has significantly changed the borders of the battle zone on the ground.
Speaking in his meeting with Saleh, Lavrov reemphasized his country’s desire for a cessation of hostilities in Libya and the beginning of political dialog.
Russia’s top diplomat also reiterated his country’s support for an Egyptian ceasefire proposal, saying that could work alongside another peace process carried out in the German capital, Berlin.
On June 6, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi proposed a ceasefire for Libya, as the rebels in the country lost ground.
Russia and the UAE welcomed that initiative, but the Libyan government and Turkey said fighting would continue until Sirte is recaptured.
Meanwhile, Egypt is also likely to enter the fray militarily.
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