Libya and Türkiye on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for cooperation on gas and oil.
The MoU was signed here between Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush and her Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who headed a senior Turkish delegation to visit Tripoli. Members of the delegation include Turkish ministers of defense, energy and natural resources, and trade, among other officials.
At a joint press conference following the signing ceremony, Cavusoglu stressed the “importance of signing the MoU in the field of (hydrocarbon) resources for maintaining the stability and security of Libya.”
According to Cavusoglu, the two countries are holding consultations and discussions to sign other memoranda of understanding in the future.
The Turkish minister said that an MoU signed with Libya in 2019 on maritime borders, security and military cooperation “has entered into force,” and they have informed the United Nations about it.
While stressing the importance of dialogue to solve issues in Libya, Cavusoglu called on the eastern-based House of Representatives, the parliament, and the High Council of State to continue their dialogue in order to reach a constitutional basis for holding general elections in Libya.
For her part, Al-Manqoush said the MoU serves the interests of both countries and would contribute to solving the oil and gas crisis in the world.
She added that both Libya and Türkiye had agreed to mobilize international support to reach a constitutional basis for general elections in Libya.
Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as scheduled, due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties.
Meanwhile, the speaker of the Libyan Parliament Aqila Saleh affirmed his rejection of signing any agreement or memorandum of understanding by the outgoing government of Abdel Hamid Dabaiba, considering that they would not be binding for the Libyan state.
This came after Dabaiba government’s Foreign and Economy Ministers signed two memoranda of understanding on energy and gas with their Turkish counterparts.
The Parliament’s Spokesman, Abdulla Bleihiq, said in a statement Monday that “any agreement, treaty or memorandum of understanding that is concluded by Dabaiba government is rejected and illegal, given the legal end of the mandate of the government since 24 December 2021.”
The statement added that these agreements by the outgoing government “are not binding for the Libyan state and people.”
He said that “the signing of international agreements, treaties and memoranda of understanding is done through the head of state or parliament,” stressing the need for dealing with the government in Libya to be through the legitimate government that has won the confidence of Parliament, in reference to the Libyan government headed by Fathi Bashagha.
