Richard Norland says talks in Turkey, Egypt 'help inform our approach on Libya'
The US ambassador to Libya visited the Turkish capital "to consult with allies" like Turkey as the North African nation gears up for elections amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
"It is an opportune time to consult with allies like Turkey (Turkey). These talks, as with my meetings in Cairo last week, will help inform our approach on Libya," Richard Norland, the US special envoy to Libya, told Anadolu Agency in a written interview.
Noting Turkey's important role on Libya, Norland said: "I greatly value my consultations with Turkish counterparts."
Now is "an especially timely moment to compare notes," the US diplomat said, adding that Libya is "polarized internally as it struggles to move toward elections," and Russia's war on Ukraine is "having ripple effects in the region."
On these effects, Norland said Russia's "unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine is a reflection on a massive scale of the destabilizing role" Russian Wagner Group mercenaries have played in Libya and the Sahel region.
"They tried to topple the government in Tripoli and interfered in the elections scheduled for December 24," he said, adding that the war in Ukraine had also had negative economic impacts in Libya, such as rising food prices.
"It is not even clear who speaks for Russian policy on Libya -- the Foreign Ministry or Wagner?"
Norland also said the US was aware of reports that the mercenaries are being transferred from Libya to Ukraine to fight for Russia, as well as reports of Moscow's attempts to recruit foreign fighters against Kyiv.
"If true, this represents a further escalation in Putin’s unjustified, unprovoked, premeditated war on Ukraine and further shows how the Russian government is pulling from its destructive, destabilizing playbook in Syria," he said.
"Russia's focus should be stopping the war it started rather than bringing more combatants and more suffering to the people of Ukraine," added the official.
- Oil
Norland also touched on possible US initiatives related to oil fields in Libya currently blocked for political reasons as the global oil supply problems become more acute.
It is "the worst time to block Libyan oil production," he said, adding that Libyans could have benefited from the current high prices and global markets which "need the oil."
"But the polarized political situation in Libya does raise the risk that competing political forces will try to gain control of the oil revenues," cautioned the envoy.
He said this was why the US, along with its various partners including the UN, EU, and Egypt, is proposing a mechanism to "manage oil revenues until agreement is reached on the broader political issues."
According to Norland, their proposed mechanism would only dispense oil revenues "on salaries, subsidies, oil production, and key imported goods such as food and medicine -- and this would be done with full transparency and accountability."
"Of course, Libyan stakeholders will be the ones to decide whether to implement this, but there are compelling reasons for leaders to ensure revenues go only to benefit the Libyan people," he added.
- Dbeibeh-Bashagha rift
Norland also voiced concern on an ongoing political spat in Libya after the Tobruk-based parliament gave confidence to a new government headed by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha -- a move disputed by sitting Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh who insists on remaining in his post.
"Our greatest concern about this standoff is that it has taken the focus away from what the Libyan people truly want, which is parliamentary and presidential elections as soon as possible," he said.
Though both sides have vowed to avoid using force, "there is always the risk of a clash leading to escalating violence, which would be a tragedy for the Libyan people," warned Norland.
"We are urging both parties to negotiate in order to resolve this impasse peacefully."
Noting that various partners, including Turkey, have offered to host talks on the matter, and that UN special advisor to the secretary-general, Stephanie Williams, has offered to facilitate negotiations, the US envoy expressed the US' strong support for such efforts.
On Feb. 12, Dbeibeh unveiled a plan to hold elections on June 30 after failure to hold presidential and parliamentary polls on Dec. 24, 2021 amid differences over the election laws.
The situation escalated in Libya earlier this month after the parliament gave confidence to a new government headed by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha while Dbeibeh insists on continuing with his post and duties as prime minister.
