Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum Voices Commitment to Libya’s Unity, Sovereignty

The 6th Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum on Wednesday emphasized its commitment to the unity and sovereignty of the State of Libya and its territorial integrity. In the Joint Declaration issued by the Sixth Session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum at the Ministerial Level, the Arab and Russian Foreign Ministers also rejected any interference in the internal affairs of Libya and emphasized the principle of Libyan ownership of the political process. The Forum also committed to the Libyan Political Agreement signed in Skhirat in 2015 and expressed its rejection of the military solution. It also called for the support of a comprehensive national reconciliation path sponsored by the Libyan Presidential Council and its efforts to achieve political stability, affirming its support for the efforts to hold Libyan presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously as soon as possible to meet the aspirations of the Libyan people to achieve security and stability. Commending the efforts of the Joint Military Committee (5+5) and its efforts to consolidate the ceasefire, as well as the call for the unification of security and military institutions under a unitary executive authority capable of ruling throughout the Libyan territories and representing the Libyan people, the Joint Declaration emphasized the necessity of the evacuation of all foreign forces, foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libyan territories. The Forum also called for the continued to support all measures that will protect Libya’s capabilities, funds, and assets in banks and foreign countries to enable its development until the international measures imposed on them are lifted.