Britain condemns the foreign presence in the Libyan oil fields .. Is the message addressed to Russia?

The Sunday (7/20/2020) episode of "Beyond the News" asked about the dimensions of the British condemnation of foreign presence in Libyan oil fields and the significance of London's warning of its impact on peace efforts.

Jumaa Al-Kumati, the Libyan Presidential Council's envoy to the Arab Maghreb countries, considered that the British condemnation of foreign intervention is a positive attitude and is in line with international legitimacy and Security Council resolutions that stipulate that Libyan oil, in terms of production or export, is the responsibility of the National Oil Corporation of the Government of National Accord.

And retired Major General Khalifa Hifter accused of more than once closing the ports and controlling some oil fields, in order to use oil as a card for political blackmail, which caused great economic suffering to the Libyan people.

He stressed that the United Arab Emirates was the one that advised Haftar to use the oil paper for months to lock the oil ports.

Russian mercenaries
on his part, Scott Lucas, professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham, pointed out that foreign interference has been in Libya since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, and that “since then countries have split into supporters of the Accord government and others that support Haftar’s forces,” stressing that oil has a major role in This division, as it constitutes an important pillar in the Libyan and global economy.

He added that the main reason behind the British position is the belief of foreign intelligence agencies in the presence of Russian mercenary forces controlling the largest oil fields in Libya, despite efforts to weaken Haftar's forces.

He also ruled out that the situation in Libya would evolve into a military confrontation in which Britain and the United States would push their military forces, rather it is a warning to Russia so that it does not use mercenaries to control the oil fields, otherwise economic pressure will be imposed on them.

It is noteworthy that this denunciation came in the wake of conflicting reports regarding the identity of a plane that Libyan sources said had targeted the Al-Wataya military base of the Al-Wefaq government, in the first bombing of the base since Al-Wefaq took control of the western region.