El-Gamaty: Libya rejected Aguila Salah for President

Libyan politician and academic dismisses possibility of Saleh becoming president and says that Haftar has no control over foreign troops in the country

BY Libyan Express Jan 27, 2021 - 16:02 Updated: Jan 28, 2021 - 04:50

A fair election is the only path to establishing peace and democracy in Libya says Gamaty. [Photo: Internet]

Head of Taghyeer Party in Libya and Special Envoy of GNA head to Maghreb Countries, Guma El-Gamaty states that Aguila Saleh has no chance of becoming a new political leader in the UN-brokered political process.

Aguila Saleh is the speaker of the Tobruk-based parliament and a vocal supporter of Khalifa Haftar.

El-Gamty, stated while speaking to Anadolu Agency, “Libyans have rejected Saleh“. I do not believe that Aqila Saleh will be Libyan president even temporarily because he will be close to Haftar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia,” He added, noting that Saleh would not be trusted to be transparent in his position as a leader.

“He might be harbouring hostility toward Turkey and oppose the memorandums of understandings signed with Turkey,” he continued.

El-Gamaty pointed out that the country conducting elections is “obligatory,” and the only way towards achieving a peaceful and democratic state in Libya.

He also added that the current Tobruk House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State in the capital Tripoli have overstayed the duration of their duty and it is time that a new parliament is chosen to reunify Libya’s legislative body.

In regards to the expired deadline for the departure of foreign troops from Libya as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed in October, El-Gamaty placed the blame mainly on Russia.

Russa along with the United Arab Emirates expressed their support to Khalifa Haftar in the recent offensive on the country’s capital and supplied him with the troops and military equipment.

In recent satellite footage by CNN, The Russian Wagner Group is seen digging a trench running tens of kilometres near the frontline coastal city of Sirte.

An unidentified US intelligence official, quoted by the American news network, said there was “no intent or movement by either Turkish or Russian forces to abide by the UN-brokered agreement.”

“This article under the cease-fire will be delayed much. Why does Russia not withdraw its mercenaries from Libya? It might want to see the outcome of the political solution and see if it can guarantee its economic and political interests,” he stated.

Regarding Haftar’s role in the departure of the foreign forces from Libya, El-Gamaty completely dismissed the military commander having any authority over foreign forces, claiming that during the recent war in Libya, the mercenaries controlled the field and not Haftar.

“Haftar is not competent in taking a decision to restart the war. Haftar currently has completely lost the military scene. He is not qualified to transfer armed forces from one place to another,” he said.

According to a recent statement by the U.N., there are currently 20,000 foreign forces left in Libya distributed over 10 military bases.

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