Turkey said Tuesday that France is deepening the conflict in Libya by supporting Khalifa Haftar against the country’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement that French support encouraged Haftar to insist on military means and further added to the pain and grievances of war-weary Libyans.
Responding to a recent statement by France criticizing Turkey’s presence in Libya, Aksoy reiterated that Ankara had provided support for the government upon Tripoli’s request, whereas France stood with “putschist” Haftar despite UN and NATO resolutions.
He indicated that the Turkish presence in Libya was legally-based, while the French policy in Libya was not acceptable from a member of the NATO alliance.
Aksoy further explained that France was acting as an agent of other countries in the region, saying that it has ill intentions for Libya, which was illustrated in its comments on Monday.
“Turkey will continue supporting efforts under the auspices of the UN to ensure lasting peace and stability in Libya,” the statement concluded.
