UN-backed government in Libya suspends talks after attack
By JAMEY KEATEN and SAMY MAGDYFebruary 18, 2020 GMT
GENEVA (AP) The U.N.-supported government in Libya said Tuesday it has suspended its participation in talks in Geneva aimed at salvaging a fragile cease-fire in the North African country following an attack on Tripoli’s strategic port.
The country’s warring sides had resumed their U.N.-brokered military negotiations earlier Tuesday, however the forces of military commander Khalifa Hifter stepped up their attacks on the Libyan capital, hitting its seaport.
It appeared to be the first such attack on Tripoli’s port since Hifter’s forces began their siege of the city almost a year ago.
Advancing Turkey s economic, energy, and military aims
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, disappointed by the European Union’s reluctance to integrate Turkey into its ranks, has re-directed his country’s diplomacy toward the Maghreb and Africa to expand Turkey’s sway in the Mediterranean, writes Dalia Ghanem
Recently, some Algerian media outlets reported on tensions between Algeria and Turkey over alleged Turkish support for Rashad, an Algerian Islamist group. Rashad is made up of former members of the banned Islamist party, the Islamic Salvation Front. The Turkish Embassy released a statement explaining that these were allegations and false rumours . While the Algerian authorities have issued no official statement on the matter to date, unofficially diplomatic sources in both Algiers and Ankara sought to discredit such reports.
Advancing Turkey s economic, energy, and military aims
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, disappointed by the European Union’s reluctance to integrate Turkey into its ranks, has re-directed his country’s diplomacy toward the Maghreb and Africa to expand Turkey’s sway in the Mediterranean, writes Dalia Ghanem
Recently, some Algerian media outlets reported on tensions between Algeria and Turkey over alleged Turkish support for Rashad, an Algerian Islamist group. Rashad is made up of former members of the banned Islamist party, the Islamic Salvation Front. The Turkish Embassy released a statement explaining that these were allegations and false rumours . While the Algerian authorities have issued no official statement on the matter to date, unofficially diplomatic sources in both Algiers and Ankara sought to discredit such reports.
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Egypt and Turkey wrapped up two days of “frank and deep” talks in Cairo on Thursday to normalise relations after eight years of tensions that pushed them close to hostilities last summer.
The two sides will assess the outcome of the talks before they decide on what to do next, a joint statement read.
The talks were seen as a dramatic turn in relations, whose sharp and rapid deterioration began when Egypt’s military removed Turkish-backed President Mohammed Morsi in 2013 amid a wave of protests against his divisive one-year rule.
Egypt and Turkey have since been at odds over a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the conflicts in Libya and Syria. Ankara has also attempted to muscle in on plans led by Egypt and Turkish rivals Greece and Cyprus to create a major energy hub in the East Mediterranean following the discovery of massive natural gas reserves.