By RFIPosted on 20-01-2020Modified on 20-01-2020 at 15:05

Back from Berlin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems divided between his interest in welcoming progress after the commitment of the main countries involved in the conflict in Libya to respect the arms embargo in order to achieve a lasting ceasefire and be cautious about what comes next, as there is still no guarantee that the agreement will be successful.

With our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer

After a summit under the aegis of the UN organized in Berlin on Sunday, the leaders of the main countries concerned by the conflict in Libya have pledged to respect the arms embargo in order to achieve a ceasefire sustainable fire. Turkey, which militarily supports the Government of national unity based in Tripoli in the face of Marshal Khalifa Haftar's offensive, signed this agreement.

" Turkey's presence in Libya has raised hopes for peace "

If the Berlin agreement provides for the renunciation of foreign interference, that did not prevent the Turkish president to estimate this Monday, back from the conference, that the intervention of his country - diplomatic intervention alongside Russia, military intervention with the sending of soldiers on the spot - made it possible to create " a balance and the basis of a cease-fire ". " The presence of Turkey in Libya has increased hopes for peace, " he wants to believe.

But paradoxically, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also downplays this presence. " We only sent trainers there, not a military force, " he argues, before wondering why the presence in Libya of Russian paramilitaries - 2,500 men, according to him - does not cause more debate .

The ball in Marshal Haftar's court

According to the Turkish head of state, the ball is in the court of Khalifa Haftar and his supporters, starting with Russia and the United Arab Emirates. He refuses to play the role of " mediator " between the two camps, which no one had assigned him. " I never sit at the table of a terrorist, " he justifies himself anyway. Recep Tayyip Erdogan also refuses the European Union a role of " coordinator " in these peace efforts, preferring to see the UN take on this responsibility.

► To read also: Conference on peace in Libya: "There is this specter of the irreversible division of Libya"

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