Libya: 73 Members of the State Council Reject Memorandum of Understanding with Turkey

Seventy-three members of the Libyan State Council announced their rejection of the interim Government of National Unity's signing of a memorandum of understanding with Turkey in the oil sector, considering such agreements to have "ambiguous terms." In a joint statement, the members stated that "signing such agreements with ambiguous terms and goals at this time of political division represents an attempt to impose a fait accompli." They expressed their disapproval of what they termed "political opportunism by our Turkish brothers." They pointed out that this could potentially place them in opposition to Libya's major national interests and to all serious national attempts aimed at achieving consensus among Libyans to restore the state and its national decision. The members called on the House of Representatives, the Presidential Council, and all political and social forces in Libya to reject what they described as "political chaos leading to further erosion of national decision-making." They urged them to "make every effort to expand the political consensus among Libyans towards achieving comprehensive national reconciliation."