“Libya’s destiny depends on the Libyans. If a negotiated agreement is not reached, stability cannot be imposed from the outside. Our objective is to encourage an accord in any case; we are ready to lend a hand at every level, from the economy to security, and we are also prepared use individual sanctions to isolate anyone seeking to sabotage this accord, but it is the Libyans who have to decide on their own destiny”. Our foreign minister’s message to Libya is clear.
Minister Gentiloni, you flew to Algiers on Friday to meet with the GNC leadership (Parliament) of Tripoli along with UN mediator Bernardino Leòn. How did that go?
«I was pleased to accept the UN envoy’s invitation to make a further attempt at supporting the peace process. I believe that Italy’s participation was useful, and we’ll see in the coming days if the GNC position changes. We must be aware that the accord reached on 12 July already involves a significant number of Libyan components, and that it would therefore be a mistake for Tripoli to exclude itself ».
But is the framework agreement proposed by Leòn, which recognises the rights of Tobruk much more than those of Tripoli, realistic, given that the GNC still controls the majority of Tripolitania?
«The agreement was signed by the Parliament of Tobruk, recognised internationally, by the Misurata and Zintan components and by numerous municipalities, even of Tripoli. Of course, an agreement that the GNC decided to exclude itself from would be a weak one; if they count themselves out, they forfeit the opportunity to bring their demands to the table when the accord annexes are discussed».
How much of an influence does the inclusivity of the peace process have on the release of the four Italian nationals abducted in Tripolitania?
«It’s hard to say. There haven’t been any reliable claims and it now appears more probable that this is a question of organisations with extortionist rather than political motives. But we are working collaboratively with everyone, at the level of intelligence».
How do you view the mayor of Zuwara’s appeal to the President of ANCI, in an interview given to our newspaper, to participate in a dialogue among municipalities?
«This is a very useful goal, we must recall that there are many important participants in this contest; that the municipalities can also make a positive contribution. That this might happen also in dialogue with Italian cities gives it a positive thrust. My impression is that there is a large majority among the Libyan society in favour of an accord. To leave the country in the hands of conflict and criminal groups would be madness».
Economic interests in Libya are largely concentrated in Tripolitania. Was it not a mistake to close the embassy in Tripoli?
«We closed the embassy in February, and were the last, having been the only Western country left for a long time. We closed it for security reasons, but we have not abandoned Libya to its fate».
In contrast with Italy, has Europe come to realise it may have another Somalia at its doorstep?
«The work that we Italians are doing, both in Europe and in NATO, to put the Libyan question at the top of the international agenda has yielded major results over the past year. Let’s not forget that the Libyan theme has become the focus of summits, and that there has been a two-fold commitment on migration: Europe has launched a naval mission, and the UN has outlined a draft resolution aimed at establishing a framework of international legitimacy for the successive stages of that mission – that is no small achievement».
Only the counter-trafficking stage of the naval mission has been launched to date. Will additional ones only go forward if there is a reliable interlocutor in Libya?
«The successive stages require a further decision from the European Council, which will have to be based on a framework of international legitimacy – thus, the UN resolution, which has essentially been outlined and is based on a Libyan authority’s request for UN intervention against people trafficking».
Is a ground intervention out of the question?
«We are not speculating. We have been very clear in stating that Italy is ready to make a contribution if and when the stabilisation process begins, in the forms that the Libyans request and are agreed at international level. We will do our part and it will be considerable».
