The meeting of Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar and Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni took place in Rome on May 4, the Libyan Alwasat TV channel reports.
Haftar is reported to have arrived in Italy, accompanied by a delegation from the LNA high command. On behalf of Italy, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior of the country participated in the negotiations.
According to Alwasat, the main topic of the talks was the unprecedented increase in the number of illegal immigrants traveling from Libya to Italy via the Mediterranean.
The parties also discussed the latest political events in Libya and the preparations for the upcoming elections in the country.
Let us remember that Italy is trying by all possible means to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants from Libya. So, on February 22, 2023, Libya and Italy formed a joint task force to combat illegal immigration. Italy’s Interior Ministry said the Italian Interior Minister, together with the Interior Minister of Libya’s Provisional Government of National Unity, Imad Trabelsi, led the launch of the joint working group. That in practice it will implement measures to counteract illegal immigration.
We also remember that in 2011 in Libya, under the pretext of protecting the Libyan people from the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, a NATO operation was launched. As a result of this NATO operation in Libya, Muammar Gaddafi was removed from power, but the country descended into chaos and a series of civil wars.
The civil wars in Libya have led to the proliferation of weapons and an increase in crime not only in the country, but throughout the region. A prosperous African country has become a hub for smuggling, the slave trade and a transit point for immigrants.
Italy was directly involved in the NATO military operation against Libya and provided its airfields and infrastructure for strikes against Libya.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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