France Accuses Turkey of Violating Arms Embargo on Libya

BRUSSELS (AP) — France has accused Turkey of repeated violations of the U.N. arms embargo on conflict-torn Libya and says Ankara is an obstacle to securing a ceasefire there.

The European Union has a naval operation in the Mediterranean to help enforce the arms embargo, but Turkey, a NATO member whose efforts to join the EU have stalled, says it is too one-sided, focusing on the internationally recognized Libyan administration in Tripoli, which Turkey supports.

"The main obstacle to the establishment of peace and stability in Libya today lies in the systematic violation of the U.N. arms embargo, in particular by Turkey, despite the commitments made in Berlin" talks early this year, the French foreign ministry said.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a NATO-backed uprising toppled Moammar Gadhafi, who was killed by his own people. The country has since been split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and different foreign governments.

The government in Tripoli led by Fayez Sarraj is backed by Turkey, which sent troops and mercenaries to protect the capital in January, and also by Italy and Qatar. Rival forces under the command of Khalifa Hifter, who launched an offensive on Tripoli last year, are supported by France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab countries.

"Turkey's support for the government of national accord's offensive goes directly against the efforts to secure a ceasefire, which we support," the French ministry said. "This support is aggravated by the hostile and unacceptable actions of Turkish naval forces toward NATO allies, which is aimed at undermining efforts taking place to uphold the U.N. arms embargo.

"This conduct, like all foreign interference in the Libyan conflict, must cease."

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is trying to secure NATO support for the EU naval effort but diplomats and officials have said that Turkey is likely to block any such move.

Borrell, who will take part in a video meeting with NATO defense ministers Thursday, said he hopes an EU-NATO "cooperation agreement can be set up" soon, because helping to enforce the arms embargo is in the security interests of both organizations.

Asked Wednesday what the response might be, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "We are looking into possible support, possible cooperation, but no decision has been taken. There is dialogue, contacts addressing that as we speak."

Borrell has highlighted some of the challenges the EU naval operation faces. He said its personnel tried to make contact last week with a "suspicious" Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship that was escorted by two Turkish warships. He said the ship refused to respond, but its Turkish escorts said the cargo was medical equipment bound for Libya.

The operation tried to verify the information with Turkish and Tanzanian authorities, and reported the incident to the United Nations, but there was nothing more it could do, he said.

By LORNE COOK

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