The text of the interview, "live", by the President of PRP Channel Pasquale Preziosa, during an in-depth transmission on Libya by Al Jazeera Arabic is reported.
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Is there a kind of competition between Italy and France in Libya? Why did you decide to send your ships there?
There is no competition between France and Italy but a necessity linked to the short distance between Italy and Libya: the Italian island of Lampedusa is only 296 km from Tripoli, the distance from Paris to Tripoli is 2500 km. Italy is Libya's closest ally, together with Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt and with North Africa it is connected with history. Italy and Spain share a large part of culture with the Arab countries. Spain has seven centuries of Arab culture, Italy has three of centuries. We have sent a couple of ships at the request of a UN-recognized government to help the Libyan Coast Guard do their job. The task of helping the Libyan Coast Guard was also contained in the main task of EUNAVforMed, which is a European mission that already operates in the Mediterranean, but was subject to the approval of the UN, or the request of the Libyan government, in order to fight smuggling. and human traffickers, by unscrupulous people.
What do you answer to General Haftar's threat of attacking any ship near the Libyan waters?
Why should we be attacked if we are helping the Libyan Coast Guard do their job, at the request of President Sarraj who has been recognized by the UN? I think nobody will make such a criminal decision and take action against someone who is helping the Libyan cause.
I think that General Haftar is doing a good job to free the Libyan territory from terrorism, preparing the country for the new elections. He is a wise General with the task of making the country safe and we are working with him. Italy is already present in Libya with an excellent and well-equipped hospital to take care of all Libyan soldiers.