Çavuşoğlu
© AP PhotoForeign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu speaks at a joint news conference with Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjart after their talks, in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Tuesday that although NATO sees Moscow as a threat, NATO member France is trying to increase the Russian presence in Libya.


Comment: That would be better than a Turkish presence.


"France supports a pirate, a coupist," he added, pointing to Paris' support for putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who is also backed by Russia.


Comment: He's also the leader of the Libyan National Army, which is supported by Libya's population, unlike the so-called official Libyan government, which only controls a small fraction of the country, is illegitimate, composed of murderers and terrorists, and with which Turkey is in league.


"All of our bilateral relations are within the framework of transparent agreements," Çavuşoğlu said.

Turkey enjoys good relations with Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA), which is recognized by the United Nations and most of the world as the only legitimate administration in the North African country.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The country's new government was founded in 2015 under a U.N.-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a military offensive by Haftar's forces.