Italy monitors France initiative on Libya, despite irritation for being left out

Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-26 05:32:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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by Alessandra Cardone

ROME, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Italy closely watched France's diplomatic initiative on Libya taking place on Tuesday, although annoyance for not being involved emerged in some remarks of officials and media analysts.

French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with two key Libyan rival leaders near Paris, in an effort to help bring peace in the war-torn Northern African country.

At the presence of the United Nations (UN) special envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, Macron met with the head of the UN-backed government based in Tripoli, Fayez Sarraj, and with the military commander of the rival parliament in Tobruk, Khalifa Haftar.

Speaking on the sidelines of a conference of ambassadors in Rome, Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said Italy would approve any initiative favoring dialogue (in Libya), "and therefore also the French effort."

However, the minister stressed there were "too many formats open, too many mediators, and too many initiatives in Libya."

"It is necessary to unify such efforts and concentrate them on (UN's envoy) Salame: if everybody goes their own way, we would end up delegitimating him," Alfano told La Stampa newspaper.

Asked about the issue on Monday, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said he hoped the French meeting would provide "a positive contribution," according to Ansa news agency.

Italy has long tried to lead the international community's efforts to put an end to the Libyan civil war. Libya is a former colony and -- most importantly -- is a major gateway for the large majority of migrants and refugees headed to Europe (and landing to Italy).

Therefore, Rome sees it as a crucial domestic issue, and the fact of not being consulted ahead of the French initiative indeed sparked irritation.

"France should not repeat the same mistakes made in Libya in recent past," Under-Secretary for European Affairs Sandro Gozi told La Repubblica daily on Monday, with regard to Paris's military intervention in the country in 2011.

"It needs to avoid the dramatic mistakes made by (president) Sarkozy, who has been completely disastrous on Libya."

"What we ask for is that Italy and France together ensure broad sharing and balance," Gozi said.

Conservative media outlets were more outspoken, directly blaming Gentiloni's center-left cabinet for having been too weak on the Libyan issue.

"Italy remains out of the game" headlined right-wing Il Secolo d'Italia on Tuesday. The newspaper pointed out the talks in France resulted from a unilateral initiative, which cut Italy totally out despite its many diplomatic efforts to support Sarraj's national unity government.

This would mark "a failure that seriously embarrasses (Foreign Minister) Alfano," Il Secolo said.

"Italy gets migrants, France gets Libya (and oil)," foreign correspondent Gian Micalessin wrote on opposition daily Il Giornale.

Softer remarks came from senior foreign political analyst Franco Venturini with Italy's leading Il Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"The French president favored a national move instead of a European one... It is a lost chance for the European Union," Venturini wrote.

Nonetheless, he said the Italian government should "positively consider Macron's initiative, in the hope it will help trigger a road map for peace."

"Italy would do well to suppress any diplomatic annoyance, but rather encourage new formulas to stabilize Libya in a spirit of cooperation."

However, the analyst also pointed out that "such hope is for the medium-long term."

"Emmanuel Macron would delude himself if he thinks the meeting between Sarraj and Haftar will be enough to immediately overcome the countless complexities of the Libyan puzzle," Venturini said.

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