Libyan prime minister to visit Sudan
October 6, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The head of the Libyan government, Abdullah al-Thani, will visit Khartoum in response to an invitation extended by Sudanese president Omer al-Bashir, a government source disclosed this week.
“The Libyan government welcomes the invitation received from president al-Bashir. (The government) considers it as a step in the right direction and a confirmation of Sudan’s support to the democratic process in Libya,” a Libyan official told the Libyan Bawabat Alwasat on Monday.
The official further said that al-Thani accepted the invitation after Khartoum’s full recognition of the House of Representatives as the sole legitimate body representing the will of the Libyan people.
Observers in Khartoum says the public acceptance of the invitation is seen in by the Sudanese government as first positive signal from Tripoli after repeated Libyan accusations of supporting extremists groups in the north African nation.
On 2 October, Sudan’s foreign ministry for the second time within a less than three weeks summoned the Libyan ambassador in Khartoum to protest against these accusations.
The Libyan prime minister is due to hold talks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Tuesday. Reports says he is seeking Egyptian support to form a regular army in Libya.
Libyan officials also accuse Qatar of providing military support to extremist groups via Sudanese territory.
Doha and Khartoum were among the supporters of Libyan groups that overthrew Muammar Gaddafi’s regime three years ago.
(ST)