The Financial Times reported yesterday that the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, who met in Rome at the start of the week, had stated their strong support for Fayez al-Serraj and his UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), alleviating fears that the US administration may shift its policy to support 'strongman' Khalifa Haftar instead.
Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, clarified Washington’s position after signing off on the G7 foreign ministers’ statement expressing “firm opposition to any attempt to disrupt the stabilisation process”.The G7 added :“We urge all actors who have a role to play . . . to engage with a spirit of compromise towards the goal of achieving full political reconciliation, while desisting from actions that would exacerbate internal division and fuel further conflict”. This appeared to be a message targeted not only at Gen Haftar, but also to other militias — including in the west — who have been seeking to undermine and overthrow Mr Sarraj’s government.“There is no military solution to Libya’s problems,” the G7 statement added.The G7 statement also warned all parties in Libya against “escalating tension” in the country’s oil-producing regions.
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