Egypt discusses resuming oil exports with Libyan officials

Libyan army chief Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar has told an Egyptian delegation that “guarantees” are in place to stop oil imports falling into the hands of armed militias and mercenaries in the conflict-wracked country.

The Egyptian delegation raised the prospect of a resumption in oil exports during talks in Benghazi between Haftar and Ayman Badie, head of Egypt’s national committee concerned with Libyan affairs.

The meeting focused on common issues between the two countries, with the Egyptian delegation calling for a return to political stability and an end to the crisis through a cease-fire.

Recent meetings that Cairo hosted for a delegation representing the western region of Libya were also discussed.

According to sources, the Egyptian delegation briefed the Libyan army commander and Aguila Saleh, head of the Libyan parliament, of details of talks between Cairo and the Misrata delegation in recent days.

The delegation affirmed its support for a political solution and a cease-fire throughout Libya, saying that it is “ready to provide all means of support for the Libyan people to overcome the ordeal suffered by the citizens.”

The Egyptian delegation previously held a meeting with Saleh in his office in Al-Qubah, where they discussed the need for a rapid political solution to the crisis that has engulfed the country for almost a decade.

Libyan parliamentary spokesman Abdullah Blehaq said that the two parties discussed ways to end the Libyan crisis and speed up a political solution, calling on all concerned parties to “return to the political track and stabilizing the cease-fire.”

Saleh is holding talks to choose a prime minister following the resignation of interim leader Abdullah Al-Thani.

A source in the office of the Speaker of Parliament confirmed that Al-Thani had proposed a number of people to take over the formation of the new government, including Aref Ali Nayed, chair of the Ihya Libya (Libya Revival) bloc.

This was based on the Libyan House of Representatives’ decision in 2015, which included the nomination of Nayed among others to oversee the formation of the government in a session with a full quorum and in the presence of a large number of deputies.

The Egyptian administration, through the committee that brings together all Egyptian sovereign bodies, in addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeks to bridge the gap between Libyans and unify Libyan institutions.