Malaysian PM congratulates Egypt's Al-Sisi on Gaza peace deal    Egypt's Al-Mashat discusses MIGA portfolio, second EU assistance tranche with officials    CIB's Hisham Ezz Al-Arab wins Global Finance lifetime achievement award    Al-Sisi reviews Cairo Airport's new terminal project designed to handle 30 million passengers annually    Pakistan launches 'precision strikes' on Afghan border militants after suicide attack    Trump urges Ukraine conflict freeze, dashes Zelenskyy's hopes for advanced arms    Egypt courts Indian green energy investment in talks with Ocior Energy    Egypt raises fuel prices, imposes one-year freeze amid cost pressures    Egypt, India hold first strategic dialogue to deepen ties    Egypt: Guardian of Heritage, Waiting for the World's Conscience    Egypt, Qatar sign MoU to boost cooperation in healthcare, food safety    EGX ends week mostly higher on Oct. 16    Egypt, UK, Palestine explore financing options for Gaza reconstruction ahead of Cairo conference    Egypt will never relinquish historical Nile water rights, PM says    Egypt explores cooperation with Chinese firms to advance robotic surgery    AUC makes history as 1st global host of IMMAA 2025    Al Ismaelia launches award-winning 'TamaraHaus' in Downtown Cairo revival    Al-Sisi, Burhan discuss efforts to end Sudan war, address Nile Dam dispute in Cairo talks    Egypt's Cabinet hails Sharm El-Sheikh peace summit as turning point for Middle East peace    Egypt's human rights committee reviews national strategy, UNHRC membership bid    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile actions, calls for global water cooperation    Egypt unearths one of largest New Kingdom Fortresses in North Sinai    Egypt unearths New Kingdom military fortress on Horus's Way in Sinai    Egypt Writes Calm Anew: How Cairo Engineered the Ceasefire in Gaza    Egypt's acting environment minister heads to Abu Dhabi for IUCN Global Nature Summit    Egyptian Open Amateur Golf Championship 2025 to see record participation    Cairo's Al-Fustat Hills Park nears completion as Middle East's largest green hub – PM    El-Sisi boosts teachers' pay, pushes for AI, digital learning overhaul in Egypt's schools    Syria releases preliminary results of first post-Assad parliament vote    Karnak's hidden origins: Study reveals Egypt's great temple rose from ancient Nile island    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Egypt reviews Nile water inflows as minister warns of impact of encroachments on Rosetta Branch    Egypt aims to reclaim global golf standing with new major tournaments: Omar Hisham    Egypt to host men's, juniors' and ladies' open golf championships in October    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN Libya envoy favors naval blockade to patrol Libyan coast
Published in Ahram Online on 07 - 03 - 2015

The UN envoy for Libya is calling for the European Union to mount a naval blockade of Libya that would prevent the flow of weapons to militants and the illegal export of the country's oil, while also providing something of a security buffer to Libya's nervous northern neighbor, Italy.
In an interview published Saturday with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Bernardino Leon said he not only favors a blockade, but that it is necessary and the only thing that can be done concretely at this time.
"There's a measure that the European Union can take right away: Come out in force to guard the seas off Libya. Italy can't do it alone. It needs help," Leon was quoted as saying.
Leon said he was certain that such a mission would receive the blessing of the U.N. Security Council. He gave the interview from Rabat, Morocco, where he is presiding over the first round of talks between representatives of the two rival Libya parliaments on forming a national unity government.
Last week, a U.N. panel of experts recommended a maritime monitoring force for Libya to monitor the arms embargo and prevent the illegal export of oil: Libya has Africa's largest proven reserves of crude, but the report found that the government has lost control over most of its installations.
A beefed up maritime presence would go a long way toward easing Italian anxiety over Islamic State group-affiliated militants in Libya and the flow of refugees fleeing toward Italian shores. It is unclear, however, whether search and rescue would be part of any monitoring force's remit.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in Riga, Latvia, that talks were underway about the EU's support of a future national unity government.
"This could mean also some naval presence, but we are in a far too early stage now to get into the details. We are discussing that internally, with the U.N., and we hope to be able to discuss that with the Libyan authorities soon in the future."
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/124679.aspx


Clic here to read the story from its source.