QA-4, 19 February 2015

Mr. Abdullah al-Thinni, Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Libya, in his interview toAsharq Alawsat newspaper dated 18 February 2015, accused Turkey of interfering in the internal affairs of Libya and threatened the Libya-based Turkish companies with closure. Additionally, a military official appointed by the Interim Government, in his statements to the Libyan press, accused Turkey of supporting terrorists in Libya.

It should be recalled that H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic, met with Ageela Salah Issa Gwaider, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Libya, on the margins of the UN General Assembly on 24 September 2014, upon Gwaider’s request. Mr. Emrullah İşler, Member of Parliament and Special Representative of the President and the Turkish Government, besides his contacts in Misurata and Tripoli, held talks with Speaker Gwaider, Interim Prime Minister al-Thinni and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad al-Dairi in Tobruk and Al Bayda, on 20 October and 3 November 2014. On all these occasions, above-mentioned Libyan counterparts were repeatedly warned not to raise such baseless claims, refrain from threatening Turkish citizens and companies and not to become instruments of propaganda carried out against Turkey in the region at the instigation of some circles. Unfortunately, we observe that these unfounded statements and threats continue unabated.

Recently, H.E. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu invited Speaker Gwaider to Turkey to discuss the latest developments in Libya and our possible contributions to the establishment of peace. However, the said visit is yet to be paid.

We expect the Interim Government authorities to correct their irresponsible attitudes and refrain from making hostile and groundless statements about our country. In the absence of a change in their attitude, it will be only natural for Turkey to take necessary measures.

Turkey’s support provided since February 17 Revolution, which recently marked its fourth anniversary, for rebuilding and reconstruction of Libya and capacity-building of public institutions is well known. Such statements of the Libyan Interim Government do not reflect the feelings of friendship and appreciation of the brotherly Libyan people towards Turkey. It is even doubtful whether these statements originate from Libya.