• Shoukry reiterated the need for foreign forces, in addition to foreign fighters and mercenaries, to exit Libyan territory
• Al-Lafi expressed his country’s appreciation and pride for Egypt’s supportive role in Libya and efforts to stabilize it

Yassin Mohammed

CAIRO: Egypt has affirmed its continued support for all efforts to stabilize Libya.

During his meeting with the Vice President of the Libyan Presidential Council Abdullah Al-Lafi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry affirmed his country’s full support for Libya as an independent and sovereign state over its entire territory.

A spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said that Shoukry noted the directives of the country’s political leadership to harness all capabilities to help their Libyan brothers.

Shoukry stressed his country’s support for the steady steps that Libya was witnessing to fulfill the political roadmap approved by Libyans, leading to the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections on their scheduled date, as a pivotal step toward achieving the desired stability in its path for a better future.

He praised the efforts of the Libyan House of Representatives that led to the issue of the presidential elections law, and its assumption of responsibilities to implement the parliamentary elections law in coordination with the concerned Libyan parties.

The minister reiterated the need for all foreign forces, in addition to foreign fighters and mercenaries, to exit Libyan territory as they prevented Libya from restoring its full sovereignty and had an impact on the security of neighboring countries.

Al-Lafi expressed his country’s appreciation and pride for Egypt’s supportive role in Libya and efforts to stabilize it.

He praised the positive developments in bilateral relations between the two countries based on historical bonds, the Libyans’ aspirations to continue the Egyptian role in the country’s reconstruction and development phase, and the agreements signed on the sidelines of the work of the Egyptian-Libyan Joint Higher Committee last month.