For the second time in less than a month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received, Sunday, December 16, the leader of the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj, a few days after having mentioned the sending of troops in Libya to support it.

This closed meeting, which was not on the public agenda of the Turkish head of state, took place at the Dolmabahçe palace, located on the European side of Istanbul, announced the Turkish presidency, without further details. .

During a previous meeting on November 27 in Istanbul, the two men signed a controversial maritime delimitation agreement and a security cooperation agreement authorizing the sending of possible Turkish military aid.

>> Read also: "Fayez al-Sarraj, head of the Libyan government, on tour to rally European leaders"

"Turkey alone will decide which initiative to take"

The latter text was introduced Saturday evening in the Turkish Parliament to be debated and ratified. Without waiting, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey was ready to deploy troops to Libya to support the GNA if the latter, which is facing an assault by rival forces of Marshal Khalifa Haftar, requests it.

Asked about this on Sunday during an interview with the A Haber television channel, the Turkish president contented himself with saying that "Turkey alone will decide what initiative to take" in the event of Libya's request to send troops. "I have already said that we are ready to bring any kind of aid to Libya," he added.

A sign of rapprochement between the two countries, Ankara announced on Saturday that Libyans aged under 16 or over 55 could now travel to Turkey without a visa.

Libya is in the midst of a conflict between the GNA, recognized by the United Nations and supported by Turkey and Qatar, and Marshal Haftar, a strong man from eastern Libya supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, two Ankara regional rivals.

The forces of Marshal Haftar, who have been waging an offensive against Tripoli since April, announced on Thursday a new "decisive battle" to seize the capital.

A disputed maritime agreement

The maritime agreement concluded at the end of November between Turkey and Libya was strongly condemned by several countries, including Greece and Cyprus, because it allows Ankara to claim rights over large areas in the eastern Mediterranean rich in hydrocarbons.

After signing the agreement, the Turkish government warned that it would prevent any exploration for hydrocarbons without its authorization. In this tense context, Turkey said on Saturday that it would park drones at an airport in the northern part of Cyprus, which Ankara has occupied since its invasion in 1974.

With AFP

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