Apparently Italy, but also Europe, are less and less influential in Libya. The general's troops Kalifa Haftar for months they have had the support in the field by the Russian private company contractors Wagner Group (former Russian military), very close to the Kremlin. It is no coincidence that Haftar's militias have become more incisive enough to be able to throw down sophisticated drones like the Italian one a few weeks ago, followed by the killing of an American. The fear is that soon Haftar will enter Tripoli, thus decreeing the victory against the provisional government, approved by the UN, led by Fayez Al Sarraj.
On the sidelines of the London summit NATO, a meeting was held between the heads of state and government of France, Germany, Great Britain and Turkey on dossierLibya. Enough inexplicable the absence of the most interested country, and at the same time more affected by the migratory waves that leave from there, to one stabilization of Libya. We speak clearly of theItaly and his prime minister Giuseppe Conte, who did not send anyone to represent us. Our foreign minister could have attended, but Luigi Di Maio it is always further away from international issues, even from those - like the Libyan chaos- that concern us more closely.
At the end of the meeting, the four heads of state would have signed one joint declaration"Our countries support the work of the envoy of the UN secretary general, Ghassan Salamè, to encourage a political process among the Libyans, facilitated by the UN".
Yesterday Minister Di Maio met the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Taher Siyala, in Rome to participate in the work of Rome MED - Mediterranean Diaologues. Minister Di Maio confirmed Italian support for the Government of National Accord and the political process led by the United Nations, reiterating that there is no military solution to the crisis. In addition, the two Memorandums between the Government of National Agreement and Turkey were discussed, also in relation to their impact on the Berlin process.
Corriere della Sera, at the end of the meeting at the Farnesina, interviewed the Libyan minister, Mohamed Taher Siyala which has revealed another node where Italy shows growing concern.
"Europe, and especially Greece, is pressing Italy to force us to cancel our memorandum of understanding with Turkey. Of course I talked about it at length with Di Maio. It was the central theme of our meeting. But Libyan-Turkish relations concern only Tripoli and Ankara. No one can interfere. Italians are worried. They tell us that they would like to be notified of our moves, especially the latter with Turkey, since they remain our historical allies. Although their ambassador to Tripoli speaks with us all the time. They know well that we could not wait: Russian mercenaries are increasingly helping Haftar's forces in the siege of Tripoli».
The argument is obvious, even if he does not talk about it. The recent arrival in Cyrenaica of Russian soldiers, there is talk of an unknown number that goes from a few hundred to perhaps beyond 1.500, upsets the military balance. Haftar could enter Tripoli in a short time. The militia coalition that supports Fayez Sarraj desperately needs Turkish aid: hence the new agreement on the maritime corridor. Siala, however, merely describes the document with Turkey as articulated in "two memoranda" and in very neutral terms: "The first on training and increasing the capacity of the army and police. Does not conceive the import of weapons. The second concerns access to the respective continental platforms, which widen fishing rights, traffic rights and exploitation of energy fields ".
But what if the agreement with Turkey goes against that of Skhirat, which in 2015 legitimized the birth of the Sarraj government?
"It's not true. Although this does support in Cairo or Athens. But nobody can say, not even our friends in Rome. And yet, bilateral relations with Italy remain "excellent".
In your opinion, as regards Italy, are there any differences between this government and the previous ones?
"We are re-discussing the memorandum on immigration, where Italian collaboration remains fundamental in trying to limit the trafficking of migrants. We have 700 potentially ready to go. Work is underway to arrive, perhaps by January, to hold the Conference on Libya in Berlin, where, unlike the previous ones in Paris and Palermo, there will be no Libyans, but only the representatives of the countries that interfere in Libya. Thus, we would like to block the arrival of foreign weapons and that the war is fought by others on the skin of the Libyans. A second conference reserved for all Libyans will follow, perhaps in February. But there is the big limitation of Europe: the EU remains divided, without a common foreign policy, without any capacity to act cohesive".