The leaders of France, Germany, and Italy have threatened to use sanctions against foreign countries that continued to violate a United Nations arms embargo on Libya, reported Reuters.
In a joint statement issued by the French presidency after a meeting in Brussels, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte urged countries to stop any kind of interference in the Libyan civil war and to fully respect the arms embargo established by the United Nations Security Council.
“We are ready to consider the possible use of sanctions if the breaches of the embargo at sea, on land or in the air continue, and look forward to the proposals that the High Representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy will make in this regard,” the joint statement read.
The global leaders voiced grave concerns over the escalating military tensions in Libya and called on “all Libyan parties and their foreign supporters for an immediate cessation of fighting and for a stop of the ongoing military build-up throughout the country”.
Diplomats have said the three countries are also considering imposing sanctions on individuals from both Libyan sides.
While the statement did not mention the names of foreign actors funneling arms to Libya but multiple powers have been assisting the two warring sides in the ongoing civil war in Libya by sending fighters and weapons.
Turkey’s military support for the UN-recognised, Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) has tipped the balance and allowed its forces in June to repel eastern commander Khalifa Haftar led Libyan National Army’s 14-month advance on Tripoli and launch a counteroffensive.
Last week, the GNA moved fighters close to Sirte, a gateway to Libya’s main oil terminals, in an effort to recapture it from the LNA.
Meanwhile, Egypt, which supports the LNA, has threatened to send troops into Libya if the GNA and Turkish forces try to seize Sirte.
