Strategic Council Online: The new round of rivalries in Libya began when the Turkish and Russian governments sought to pave the way for their exclusive presence in the country under the pretext of a ceasefire. They aimed to forge an agreement between Seraj and Haftar governments without the knowledge of the European states.
Jafar Qanadbashi – Middle East Affairs Expert
Strategic Council Online: Referring to the war of words between Turkey and the UAE over Libya, a university professor said that the rivalry that has taken place between the two groups in Libya is an endless game in which neither side will succeed in becoming influential powers in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. He said if this trend continues they will not be total victors in Libya.
Strategic Council Online: A university professor outlining the failure to achieve peace and ceasefire in Libya said: Since Khalifa Haftar is fully aware that Turkey would not abandon its support for economic investments and Brotherhood-led government in North Africa it has made accepting the ceasefire conditional on Turkish troop withdrawal from Libya to send the ball into the court of the National Unity Government and impose international pressure on it
Strategic Council Online: A university professor cited Moscow’s announcement that Khalifa Haftar has left Moscow without signing a ceasefire agreement with the Libyan National Unity Government, saying: “Until the Arab countries are convinced that Khalifa Haftar will have the upper hand in the agreements to be reached, they will not be willing to allow him to agree to a ceasefire.”
Strategic Council Online: An expert on African affairs says the proxy war in Libya has somehow started with the intervention of the regional states, mainly the Arab states. He considers the ineffectiveness of the National Unity Government a means to further intensify the provocative efforts of Khalifa Haftar, emphasizing that in these circumstances, one cannot virtually draw a good perspective for the future of the Libyan government.
Strategic Council Online: The most important reason for Washington’s lifting of Cyprus arms embargo is the serious threat against Israeli and Egyptian interests in the region prompted by an agreement reached between Turkey and Libya over security-military and border issues in recent weeks and demarcating marine boundaries. The US Senate has voted to lift the arms embargo on Cyprus in a move that will displease Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ghadir Golkarian – Professor at Near East University in Cyprus
