“Today the cause of peace in Libya has made great progress. I want to thank you for your efforts." These are the words chosen by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in announcing on Tuesday that the president of the Presidential Council of Tripoli Fayez al-Sarraj and the commander of the Libyan National Army Khalifa Haftar, meeting at the castle of La Celle-Saint-Cloud, at gates of Paris, adopted the joint declaration on the future of the country. "Peace can win", added Macron, who spoke of a "historic commitment".
Al-Sarraj and Haftar, in fact, have agreed to "hold presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya next spring in cooperation with the institutions involved and with the support and under the supervision of the United Nations". The two rival leaders have also found an agreement for a ceasefire on any activity that does not exclusively concern the fight against terrorism.
As for the role of our country, the opposition has raised controversy over the lack of participation of the Gentiloni government at the Libyan table. However, Macron yesterday said that "Italy is fully associated" and that "there are no differences between the Italian position and the French position: it is a joint effort that we also do with the European Union". Indeed, "I want to thank Italy in particular - continued the number one of the Elysée Palace - my friend Paolo Gentiloni, who worked hard" to arrive at the joint declaration on Libya. Al-Sarraj will be in Rome today to meet the Italian Premier.
