Director of the International Organizations Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Pyotr Ilyichev, said that some Western countries, which he did not name, are trying to turn Libya into a new arena for confrontation with Russia.
Ilyichev added in an interview with the Russian Novosti Agency that Libya has practically become divided into two parts, teetering on the brink of civil war, indicating it has turned into a route for irregular migration.
Ilyichev continued that the attempts of foreign states to bring Libya into confrontation with his country only helped to consolidate the existing lines of division on the ground and delay the possibilities of reaching a settlement between the Libyan sides.
Ilyichev explained that improving the situation in Libya could only be achieved through dialogue between all warring Libyan parties, with the help of interested external actors and the central role of the United Nations.
Ilyichev emphasized that representing the will of the people could end what he called the country’s long-standing dual power, and would become the basis for stability by restoring the country’s unity and territorial integrity.
He stressed the need for Libyans to determine the timing and procedures for holding elections, without external pressure or artificially imposed deadlines.
