Qatar supports peaceful resolution of Libya crisis

Qatar’s top diplomat reiterated his country’s support for finding a peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis on Monday.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held talks in the capital Doha with Libyan Parliament Speaker Aguila Saleh.

Qatar supports “all peaceful solutions that preserve Libya’s unity and stability,” the foreign minister said on Twitter.

He said his talks with Saleh took up aspects of developing and strengthening bilateral relations as well as the latest developments in Libya.

On Sunday, Saleh met with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to discuss ways of bolstering cooperation between the two sides.

Saleh also met with the Speaker of the Qatari Shura Council, Hassan bin Abdullah, where they discussed the latest Libyan developments.

Last week, the head of the Tripoli-based National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, met with the Qatari ruler in Doha to discuss efforts aimed at holding elections in Libya.

In recent years, the Libyan Parliament has accused Qatar of supporting armed groups opposed to the East Libya-based assembly, an accusation denied by Doha.

In March, Libya appointed an ambassador to Qatar for the first time in six years.

Last July, Qatar appointed Khaled al-Dosari as its ambassador to Libya for the first time since 2014 following the closure of its embassy in the wake of the emergence of rival administrations in the oil-rich country.

Oil-rich Libya has remained in turmoil since 2011 when longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi was ousted after four decades in power.

Qatar, along with Türkiye, had backed the internationally recognized government in the west of Libya, while countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia and Egypt had backed the eastern forces of putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar.

The situation in Libya has worsened since March when the Libyan Parliament appointed a new government led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha. Dbeibah, for his part, insists he will only cede authority to a government that comes through an “elected parliament,” raising fears that Libya could slip back into a civil war.