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Turkey’s main opposition objects to sending troops to Libya Turkey seeks parliament approval to dispatch troops to Libya
(about 4 hours later)
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s main opposition party said Monday it does not support the government’s plans to deploy troops to Libya, saying the move would embroil Turkey in another conflict and make it a party to the “shedding of Muslim blood.” ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s government on Monday submitted a motion to parliament seeking approval to deploy troops to Libya, arguing that the conflict in the North African country could escalate into a civil war and threaten Turkey’s interests.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the U.N.-supported government in Libya asked Ankara to send troops to help authorities in Tripoli defend the city from an offensive by rival forces. Legislators have been summoned to an emergency session in parliament on Thursday to vote for the motion, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported, as the government appeared intent on rushing the bill through the assembly. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had initially said the motion would be submitted to parliament after a winter recess that ends on Jan 7.
The Turkish government is expected to submit a motion to parliament Monday allowing the deployment of Turkish forces to the conflict-torn country. A vote could take place as early as Thursday. The motion seeks a one-year mandate to deploy troops in the conflict-ridden country, maintaining that developments in Libya threaten Turkey’s interests there, including Turkish businesses in the country and Turkish vessels sailing in the Mediterranean, according to the text of the motion reported by Anadolu.
Although the details concerning the possible deployment have not been revealed, the main opposition Republican Peoples’ Party, or CHP, made clear its lawmakers would vote against it. The government said it would decide on the size, timing and scope of the deployment.
Erdogan has said the U.N.-supported government in Libya asked Ankara to send troops to help authorities in Tripoli defend the city from an offensive by rebel forces.
Erdogan said the government of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj in Tripoli “invited” Turkey to send troops after the two recently signed a military cooperation agreement. Ankara and Tripoli have also signed a maritime border deal and both agreements have met with criticism across the region and beyond.
Sarraj’s administration has faced an offensive since April by the rival government based in eastern Libya and forces loyal to commander Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who is trying to take Tripoli.
Earlier, Turkey’s main opposition party said it would not support the motion, saying the possible deployment would embroil Turkey in another conflict and make it a party to the “shedding of Muslim blood.” It said Turkey must instead “give priority to a diplomatic solution” in Libya.
“We don’t want this terrible picture that unfolded in Syria to unfold in yet another country,” Unal Cevikoz, the CHP’s deputy chairman told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.“We don’t want this terrible picture that unfolded in Syria to unfold in yet another country,” Unal Cevikoz, the CHP’s deputy chairman told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
“We will never accept Turkey to be a part of the proxy war in Libya and, by siding with one of the sides of the conflict, for it to be a cause of the shedding of Muslim blood,” Cevikoz said.“We will never accept Turkey to be a part of the proxy war in Libya and, by siding with one of the sides of the conflict, for it to be a cause of the shedding of Muslim blood,” Cevikoz said.
Cevikoz said Turkey must instead “give priority to a diplomatic solution” in Libya.
However, Erdogan’s ruling party is in an alliance with a nationalist party, and together the two have sufficient votes to pass the deployment motion.However, Erdogan’s ruling party is in an alliance with a nationalist party, and together the two have sufficient votes to pass the deployment motion.
Cavusoglu, the foreign minister, later also held talks with the leader of another opposition party, to seek support for the motion. That party has not made up its mind about backing the motion, he said.Cavusoglu, the foreign minister, later also held talks with the leader of another opposition party, to seek support for the motion. That party has not made up its mind about backing the motion, he said.
Erdogan said last week that the government of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj in Tripoli “invited” Turkey to send troops after the two recently signed a military cooperation agreement. Ankara and Tripoli have also signed a maritime deal. Both agreements have met with criticism across the region and beyond.
Sarraj’s administration has faced an offensive since April by the rival government based in eastern Libya and forces loyal to commander Gen. Khalifa Hifter, who is trying to take Tripoli.
The fighting around Tripoli escalated in recent weeks after Hifter declared a “final” and decisive battle for the capital.The fighting around Tripoli escalated in recent weeks after Hifter declared a “final” and decisive battle for the capital.
The fighting has threatened to plunge Libya into violence rivaling the 2011 conflict in which longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi was ousted and killed.
Hifter is backed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as France and Russia, while the Tripoli-based government receives aid from Turkey, Qatar and Italy.Hifter is backed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, as well as France and Russia, while the Tripoli-based government receives aid from Turkey, Qatar and Italy.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.