Bahrain supports Egyptian Parliament's stance on Libya

CAIRO – 21 July 2020: Bahraini Chairman of Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee at the Shura Council, Abdulaziz bin Abdulla Al-Ajman, announced Tuesday Bahrain’s support for the Egyptian Parliament's stance and its mandate to President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to intervene in Libya to prevent Turkish interference in Arab Affairs.

 

Ajman indicated that the decision came in line with the Libyan Parliament'sand tribal leaders' call for the necessity of an Egyptian armed intervention to protect Libya and its people from Turkey’s interference, according to Bahrain News Agency.

 

Ajman expressed appreciation for the role that Egypt plays in the Arab world, based on the joint Arab defense agreement of the Arab League.

 

Ajman confirmed Egypt's right to secure its western borders from terrorism, and its Arab duty to preserve the territorial integrity of Libya, as requested by the Libyan national movement to defend Libyan borders and people from extremism and terrorist militias.

 

On July 20,the Egyptian House of Representatives authorized President Sisi to “take the necessary measures” to protect national security, giving the president the green light to send troops to Libya.

 

This came in a closed session on protecting the Egyptian and Libyan national security against terror threats. The session was attended only by the Parliament members and the general secretariat of the House.

 

During his meeting with the tribal chiefs on July 16, Sisi said that any Egyptian military intervention in Libya may only take placeupon a request by the Libyan people and apermission from the Egyptian House.

 

According to Article 152 of the Egyptian constitution, the state has to seek the Parliament’s approval before declaring war or sending its forces in combat missions.The members attending the session are not authorized to disclose any details of the discussion inside this secret meeting.

 

Libya is suffering a severe division between two factions; the Libyan Parliament and the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal KhalifaHaftar in the east and the GNA led by Fayez al-Sarraj. The latter is internationally recognized but is not accepted by the Parliament.

 

Hundreds were killed in continuous battles between the LNA and the forces of the GNA, over the past year.

 

The Egyptian army’s planned intervention in Libya has been justified by the presence of militias in the war-torn country, which threatens the national security of both Libya and its eastern neighbor, Egypt.

 

Sisi added during his meeting with the tribal chiefs thatEgypt has always stood by a peaceful solution in Libya through encouraging negotiations between Libyan factions. However, it will not stand idly as it watches practices that threaten Egypt’s national security.

 

He noted that in case the Egyptian forces enter Libya, they will be led by tribal leaders carrying the Libyan flag.