Libya issue must be solved politically, foreign minister says

By Wang Qingyun | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-07-19 19:03

The issue of Libya should be addressed through political solutions, and the international community should strengthen cooperation to fight terrorism and prevent the north African country "from becoming the next Syria", Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.

As the counter-terrorism war in Iraq and Syria are developing, the international community should work together to prevent terrorist forces from fleeing these regions to Libya, Wang said in a joint news conference with his Tunisian counterpart Khemaies Jhinaoui in Beijing.

Wang expressed China's position on the Libyan issue, pointing out that while sticking to the United Nations' leadership in mediation efforts, countries should "listen more to Libya's neighbors, including Tunisia, and take care of their reasonable concerns".

Also, China insists that the Libya's sovereignty, independence and the integrity of its territory should be respected and safeguarded, and that its future should be decided by its people, Wang said.

"The key is to continue urging all groups in Libya to dissolve differences through talks and negotiations, and to find a solution that takes into account interests of all parties through a political approach," Wang added.

"Development is the first priority for countries in west Asia and north Africa. Peace and stability is an important prerequisite for achieving development," the minister said.

The situation in Libya has worsened since civil war that broke out in 2011.

Jhinaoui told reporters in Wednesday's news conference that China and Tunisia, which "shares a long border with Libya", reached a consensus that the Libyan issue should be solved through peaceful ways.

Jhinaoui is in China for a five-day official visit that started on Monday. It is his first visit to China since he took office. Wang visited Tunisia in May last year.

Wang and Jhinaoui signed an agreement on establishing a consultation mechanism between the two countries' foreign ministries on Wednesday before the joint news conference.