Why is Turkey acquiescing to Egypt's role in Libya?

al-Monitor ^ | September 18, 2020 | Fehim Tastekin

[SunkenCiv]

With settlement efforts gaining pace, Egypt has proved capable of mediating between the opposing sides in Libya, though it had thrown its weight behind the eastern forces fighting the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and its Misratan allies, which Turkey has backed with military, intelligence and militia support. Ankara's rigid attitude in the conflict has reduced its clout to influence over only its allies. And the infighting in the GNA presents a further risk to Turkish interests in the upcoming settlement process. In other words, Turkey has failed to preserve the advantage it gained through its scale-tipping military intervention since the rival parties called for a cease-fire last month, opening the door to negotiations. The arm-wrestling between GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj and his interior minister, Fathi Bashagha, has made Ankara realize that it cannot control everything in Tripoli by deploying soldiers and militia. Certainly, those setbacks do not mean that Turkey will bow out and let others run the show. The parties in Libya were forced into talks by a stalemate on the battlefield after Egypt drew a red line at the strategically significant Sirte and al-Jufra and Russia reinforced the region in response to Turkey's military intervention, which had set Sirte, al-Jufra and the Oil Crescent as its next targets after securing Tripoli. An Egyptian-sponsored cease-fire proposal by the eastern forces -- represented by Khalifa Hifter, commander of the Libyan National Army, and Aguila Saleh, head of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives -- in early June was followed by simultaneous cease-fire calls from Saleh and Sarraj on Aug. 21.

[SunkenCiv]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently toned down his rhethoric on Egypt. In a press statement on Sept. 18, carried by Al-Arabiya website, he was quoted saying, "We have no objection to holding meetings with the Egyptian authorities."

He continued, "Holding intelligence meetings with Egypt is a different matter, and it is possible, but the agreement they made with Greece saddened us."

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias had signed Aug. 6 an agreement in Cairo designating the exclusive economic zone between Egypt and Greece in the eastern Mediterranean. This zone contains promising oil and gas reserves.

Meanwhile, in a statement on the same day, Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs vehemently denounced the agreement as "null and void" for violating the Libyan maritime borders. The statement said the area delimited by the Greek-Egyptian agreement infringes on Turkey's continental shelf.

This comes as the eastern Mediterranean region experiences rising tension. Turkey insists on exploring for gas near the borders of Greece and Cyprus (riparian countries with Egypt), both of which reject such exploration. In another vein, Turkish forces and armed militias are present on Libyan soil (bordering Egypt from the west) in support of the Libyan Government of National Accord headed by Fayez al-Sarraj.

Erdogan's openness to dialogue came after Sarraj announced Sept. 16 his intention to resign from his post. He claimed his government has not been operating in a normal environment since its formation, and "has faced internal and external plots."

Egypt puts burden on Turkey to open talks | Hagar Hosny | al-Monitor

[SunkenCiv]

Despite attempts by the two camps to break Libya's political deadlock, members of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) are said to have opposed any proposal that stipulates a Turkish withdrawal...

On Wednesday, a Libyan delegation began talks with high-level officials in Cairo to discuss developments in the Libyan crisis and help end divisions between Tobruk and Tripoli and create a unified political body that can monitor developments.

Egyptian sources confirmed to The Arab Weekly that "a mixed Libyan delegation arrived Tuesday evening and included five members in the parliament of Libya's GNA: Muhammad al-Ra'idh, Abu Bakr Saeed, Ayman Saif al-Nasr, Abdullah al-Lafi and Fahim bin Ramadan, and three members of the HCS: Saad bin Shardah, Balqasim Qzeit, Abdullah Jawan and Hassan Chabba from the leadership of Misrata".

The same sources denied that Taj al-Din al-Razaki, a national security adviser to GNA President Fayez al-Sarraj attended, as some Libyan media outlets reported.

Some Libyan sources had previously limited the role of Cairo to extending support for Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh and Haftar. The makeup of the Libyan delegation has dispelled that notion.

Turkey resists attempts to exclude it from Libya in Morocco talks | Arab Weekly

[Texas Fossil]

President Sisi in Egypt is a very positive force in the Middle East. He saved Egyptians from the despotism that Obozo planned for them. And stepped in to protect the Christians that the Muslim Brotherhood had persecuted and murdered and kidnapped/married Christian girls.

It appears that Egypt is developing some oil/gas production which will help. Egypt is a poor country, but has the backing of Saudi Arabia. Erdoo’s Turkey is a threat to both nations and to the “stability”(?) in the ME.

[View from the Cheap Seats]

And both MBS and Sisi agree that Islam itself must be reformed, A religion based on the decapitation of your neighbors has no future.

[SunkenCiv]

He's the real deal.

• New Mediterranean energy forum launched with Israel as member
• Historical Greece-Cyprus-Israel Sign The Tripartite Military Cooperation Program #Trump2020
• Egypt presses on with new capital in the desert amid virus outbreak
• Egypt: the Construction Site of the Largest Cathedral in the Middle East, "Symbol of Coexistence"
• Egypt seeks to build confidence with second Suez Canal

[SunkenCiv]

• Egypt sends forces to support Assad in Syria [08/05/2020]

[Texas Fossil]

Yes. My opinion of them are the same as you stated.

Both can be reasoned with.

President Sisi is more moderate than any of the Saudi ruling family. Egypt is not a monarchy.

MBS has his own issues with Turkey. Turkey killed 2 of the Saudi Kings, at least one of them was beheaded publicly. Turkey (Ottoman Empire) is one evil excuse for a nation.

[Texas Fossil]

Thanks for the links.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I would say it is because Egypt can beat them like a cheap drum but that is just a guess.

[SunkenCiv]

Erdogan's alienated his only ally in the region (Israel) and has had to align with stateless terrorists. Literally all his neighbors, more accurately, all of Turkey's neighbors, were not all that friendly before, but over his years in power he's really taken a series of messy dumps in his own punchbowl.

[View from the Cheap Seats]

Erdogan is a problem.

[dfwgator]

And every Muslim in Europe will support Erdogan when he tries to invade Europe.

[Texas Fossil]

Yes. He is.