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| Philip Hammond backs Libyan unity government on Tripoli visit | Philip Hammond backs Libyan unity government on Tripoli visit |
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| The British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has visited Tripoli and offered £10m in support of the new government of national accord (GNA), saying the UK stands ready to help train Libyan state institutions. | The British foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, has visited Tripoli and offered £10m in support of the new government of national accord (GNA), saying the UK stands ready to help train Libyan state institutions. |
| His visit on Monday came as the Libyan parliament was due to consider whether to back the new government or defer the decision. The west is desperate for the parliament to back the UN-supported GNA and start the process of forming a unity government after months of delay that Islamic State has used to strengthen its base in the north of the country. | His visit on Monday came as the Libyan parliament was due to consider whether to back the new government or defer the decision. The west is desperate for the parliament to back the UN-supported GNA and start the process of forming a unity government after months of delay that Islamic State has used to strengthen its base in the north of the country. |
| EU foreign and defence minsters are meeting in Brussels to discuss how to further support the UN-recognised Libyan government battling to establish its authority in Tripoli. There are political tensions over the extent to which western troops will enter the country either to train a Libyan national army or help deter smugglers trying to take refugees from the coast to Europe. Any request for western help is dependent on the parliament recognising the GNA. | EU foreign and defence minsters are meeting in Brussels to discuss how to further support the UN-recognised Libyan government battling to establish its authority in Tripoli. There are political tensions over the extent to which western troops will enter the country either to train a Libyan national army or help deter smugglers trying to take refugees from the coast to Europe. Any request for western help is dependent on the parliament recognising the GNA. |
| Hammond is the fourth EU foreign minister to visit the country in the last week, and his is the first visit of a British minister to the country since David Cameron spent a day in the country in January 2013. | Hammond is the fourth EU foreign minister to visit the country in the last week, and his is the first visit of a British minister to the country since David Cameron spent a day in the country in January 2013. |
| “Britain and its allies fully support prime minister Fayez Sarraj and his government as they restore peace and stability to the whole of Libya. We stand ready to provide further assistance to Libya and its people,” Hammond said in a statement released by the Foreign Office. | “Britain and its allies fully support prime minister Fayez Sarraj and his government as they restore peace and stability to the whole of Libya. We stand ready to provide further assistance to Libya and its people,” Hammond said in a statement released by the Foreign Office. |
| “Britain is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to stabilise Libya and is committing an extra £10m to help the government of national accord strengthen political institutions, the economy, security, and justice. This fund builds on our existing support to Libya of £11.5m last year for development and humanitarian assistance.” | “Britain is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to stabilise Libya and is committing an extra £10m to help the government of national accord strengthen political institutions, the economy, security, and justice. This fund builds on our existing support to Libya of £11.5m last year for development and humanitarian assistance.” |
| The GNA posted a picture on its website showing Hammond meeting Sarraj, and said Hammond would be holding a press conference. Sarraj is due to speak to EU foreign ministers by video link on Monday afternoon. | The GNA posted a picture on its website showing Hammond meeting Sarraj, and said Hammond would be holding a press conference. Sarraj is due to speak to EU foreign ministers by video link on Monday afternoon. |
| In an attempt to persuade the parliament to endorse the GNA, the US and UN special envoys have repeatedly warned that further delay would only lead to a more unstable security situation. Under the Libyan political agreement recognised by the UN, the parliament must endorse the GNA and the presidency council. | In an attempt to persuade the parliament to endorse the GNA, the US and UN special envoys have repeatedly warned that further delay would only lead to a more unstable security situation. Under the Libyan political agreement recognised by the UN, the parliament must endorse the GNA and the presidency council. |
| Hammond arrived in Tripoli with the UK ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, who has been instrumental in trying to persuade Libyan political factions and tribes to bury their differences. The UN special envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, also flew to Tripoli to press parliament to endorse the GNA. He said the UN was setting up a permanent HQ again in Tripoli. | Hammond arrived in Tripoli with the UK ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett, who has been instrumental in trying to persuade Libyan political factions and tribes to bury their differences. The UN special envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, also flew to Tripoli to press parliament to endorse the GNA. He said the UN was setting up a permanent HQ again in Tripoli. |
| The parliament has been convened six times to vote on the GNA, but the vote has been postponed due to the lack of a quorum and political divisions. | The parliament has been convened six times to vote on the GNA, but the vote has been postponed due to the lack of a quorum and political divisions. |
| Hammond’s visit is bound to lead to more calls from British MPs for Hammond or the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, to come to parliament to explain whether they are planning a military intervention, which should require the endorsement of MPs in a vote. | Hammond’s visit is bound to lead to more calls from British MPs for Hammond or the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, to come to parliament to explain whether they are planning a military intervention, which should require the endorsement of MPs in a vote. |
| Hammond is in a standoff with the Conservative chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, Crispin Blunt, about how open he has been with parliament. The Foreign Office is not keen to discuss its plans until they have been formulated and agreed with a new Libyan government anxious not to be seen as a stooge of western governments. | Hammond is in a standoff with the Conservative chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, Crispin Blunt, about how open he has been with parliament. The Foreign Office is not keen to discuss its plans until they have been formulated and agreed with a new Libyan government anxious not to be seen as a stooge of western governments. |
| The GNA, currently operating under armed guard from a naval base, hopes to take over on Monday the running of three ministries – social affairs, youth and sports, and housing and public works. | The GNA, currently operating under armed guard from a naval base, hopes to take over on Monday the running of three ministries – social affairs, youth and sports, and housing and public works. |
| Sarraj’s unity government was formed under a UN-backed power-sharing deal in December . Talks have been ongoing between the government and the west about how it can best help the government with humanitarian military and fiscal support. A package of support, the Libyan National Assistance Mission, has been prepared including training a Libyan national army, probably in Tunisia. A separate EU package focused on support for police is being prepared. | Sarraj’s unity government was formed under a UN-backed power-sharing deal in December . Talks have been ongoing between the government and the west about how it can best help the government with humanitarian military and fiscal support. A package of support, the Libyan National Assistance Mission, has been prepared including training a Libyan national army, probably in Tunisia. A separate EU package focused on support for police is being prepared. |
| Barack Obama is expected to discuss the Libyan crisis when he meets Cameron in London on Friday after meeting senior figures in the Gulf earlier in the week. | Barack Obama is expected to discuss the Libyan crisis when he meets Cameron in London on Friday after meeting senior figures in the Gulf earlier in the week. |
| Obama has described the Libyan intervention as his worst foreign policy mistake of his presidency, and has criticised a distracted Cameron for failing to follow through after the military intervention in 2011 that led to the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi. Cameron has not admitted error over the intervention, and has said the Libyan people did not take up the chance of peace offered to them. | Obama has described the Libyan intervention as his worst foreign policy mistake of his presidency, and has criticised a distracted Cameron for failing to follow through after the military intervention in 2011 that led to the downfall of Colonel Gaddafi. Cameron has not admitted error over the intervention, and has said the Libyan people did not take up the chance of peace offered to them. |
| EU ministers, largely led by the Italian government, are concerned by signs that the number of refugees leaving Libya for Europe is increasing. | EU ministers, largely led by the Italian government, are concerned by signs that the number of refugees leaving Libya for Europe is increasing. |
| EU naval assets including the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise plan to extend Operation Sophia, the EU campaign against migrant smugglers, probably by taking action closer to the Libyan coastline with the agreement of the Libyan government. | EU naval assets including the Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise plan to extend Operation Sophia, the EU campaign against migrant smugglers, probably by taking action closer to the Libyan coastline with the agreement of the Libyan government. |
| Related: David Cameron under pressure to come clean over plans to send British troops to Libya | |
| The French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who visited Libya on Saturday with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, told reporters in Luxembourg that Libyan and international support was “indispensible” to restore stability. | The French foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who visited Libya on Saturday with his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, told reporters in Luxembourg that Libyan and international support was “indispensible” to restore stability. |
| He said the EU ministers would discuss steps to stop migrant smuggling and arms trafficking. | He said the EU ministers would discuss steps to stop migrant smuggling and arms trafficking. |
| The EU has prepared an aid package of €100m (£78m) for economic, humanitarian and development issues in Libya. It has also said it is ready to help train police and coastguard and to fight extremists. | The EU has prepared an aid package of €100m (£78m) for economic, humanitarian and development issues in Libya. It has also said it is ready to help train police and coastguard and to fight extremists. |
| The increase in the number of refugees is in part due to an expansion in Libya of Isis, which has set up a bastion 185 miles away from Italy across the Mediterranean. | The increase in the number of refugees is in part due to an expansion in Libya of Isis, which has set up a bastion 185 miles away from Italy across the Mediterranean. |