A tripartite statement calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Libya, and "reconciliation" is required

France, Germany, and Italy called on the Libyan parties to cease fire immediately and suspend military operations, at a time when the National Accord government stipulated the withdrawal of the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar from Sirte and Al Jafra to calm down.

A statement published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its website said that in light of the increasing risks of the deteriorating situation in Libya and the regional escalation, France, Germany and Italy are calling on all Libyan parties to immediately and unconditionally stop the fighting and suspend the ongoing military activity throughout the country.

It also urged the three countries to stop foreign interference in Libyan affairs, and to respect fully the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

The statement added that the cease-fire is an essential element to create the appropriate environment for the resumption of political dialogue between the conflicting parties in Libya in a concrete way, and thus to find a sustainable solution to the conflict.

It is noteworthy that France - through its president, Emmanuel Macron - described Turkey's support for the government of reconciliation by the dangerous game, and Ankara responded by holding it responsible for war crimes committed by Haftar's forces.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşo أوlu expressed his deep concern over the French presence in Libya.

For his part, a British Foreign Office spokesman said that all parties to the Libyan conflict should reduce the escalation and commitment to the ceasefire and return to the UN-led political dialogue and the agreements reached at the Berlin conference.

In a statement, the British Foreign Office spokesman described Libya as becoming a proxy battlefield between countries providing military support to both sides, adding that those countries must commit to the political process and stop fueling the conflict.

On Thursday, the European Union stressed that the peace process in Libya should be led by the United Nations and be within the framework of the Berlin Agreement, in the words of European Commission spokesman Peter Stano, in response to a question about the proposal presented by Tunisian President Qais Saeed regarding Libya.

But the internationally recognized government of Al-Wefaq, stipulated the withdrawal of the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar from the coastal city of Sirte and the Jafra region as a precondition for talks to reach a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Qalin said that Haftar's forces should withdraw from Jufra and Sirte.

He added during an interview with "CNN Turkish" that the return of the parties to the Skhirat Agreement is one of the conditions of the reconciliation government for the continuation of the ceasefire.

In the context of developments in Libya, the Minister of Interior of the Al-Wefaq government, Fathi Pashaga, said that he discussed with officials of the US State Department, the National Security Council and the leadership of the American forces in Africa (AFRICOM) the security cooperation between his country and the United States.

The media office of the Minister of Interior said that the video conference focused on efforts to reform the security sector in Libya, the ministry's plan to develop its equipment, and the ministry's program to re-dismantle, demobilize, and integrate armed groups into the forces of the legitimate Al-Wefaq government.

On the other hand, the Arab Maghreb Association, on Thursday, strongly condemned the statements of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on the threat of interference in Libya.

The association said in a statement that it affirms its strong condemnation of what the Egyptian president announced regarding military intervention in Libya under the pretext of protecting the national security of his country.

She added that she warns al-Sisi of the consequences of his statements that contradict what is stated in the Islamic religion and confirmed by international norms, and calls on him not to interfere in the affairs of neighboring countries.

It is noteworthy that Sisi, in a televised speech, on Saturday, after inspecting units of the Air Force in the Matrouh Governorate (west) bordering with Libya, alluded to the possibility of his country's army carrying out external military tasks if necessary, considering that any direct intervention in Libya became available to him International legitimacy.