EU's Borrell, Libya's Sarraj Discuss Escalation In Tripoli, Implementation Of Arms Embargo

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the head of Libya's internationally-recognized government

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2020) EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the head of Libya's internationally-recognized government, Fayez Sarraj, have discussed the Libyan conflict with an emphasis on the implementation of an arms embargo under the Berlin agreements, the European External Action Service (EEAS) said in a press release on Tuesday.

"High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell called the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord of Libya, Fayez al-Serraj, on 18 May to discuss the latest developments in the country," the press release read.

Borrell was quoted as conveying his concerns over the escalation of fighting in and around the Libyan capital of Tripoli, including in densely populated residential areas. High Representative also conveyed the EU's "continued firm commitment" to achieving political solution to the Libyan crisis via the Berlin Conference format of peace consultations.

According to the press release, the EU top diplomat commended Sarraj for "his government's openness to participate actively in the Berlin process."

In particular, they have discussed the EU's military operation Irini whose aim is to ensure that foreign arms supplies do not come to Libya to not fuel the ongoing conflict.

The EEAS has described the operation as "one of the EU's contributions to the return of stability in Libya and an operational expression of its concrete commitment to the UN-led Berlin process on Libya."

In Libya, the confrontation between Sarraj's Government of National Accord (GNA) and the rival Libyan National Army (LNA) has practically split the oil-rich country into a duopoly since 2011. Over the past few months, the situation has escalated as the LNA advanced on GNA-held Tripoli.

In January, a conference on Libya was held in Berlin where participating countries committed to supporting the war-torn country through the restoration of peace. In particular, the participants agreed to halt arms supplies to Libya as a measure of non-interference in the Libyan civil conflict between two rival administrations. Among these countries were Algeria, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey, the Republic of the Congo, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Operation Irini, part of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy, has the bloc's mandate to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo by using naval and aerial assets, including satellite imagery.