Italian FM briefs parliament on Libyan crisis, U.S.-Iran tension

By:Xinhua
update:January 16,2020

Jan.16,2020-- A worsening of the Libyan crisis "could entail higher risks in terms of terrorism threat and illegal immigration," Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said on Wednesday while addressing the parliament.

"Italy has no plan to intervene militarily in the (Libyan) conflict, and it keeps respecting the arms embargo strictly," Di Maio said.

He added Italian authorities have "stigmatized" foreign interference in Libya, and called for the EU to act united against such interferences.

Libya has been locked in a civil war since the ouster and killing of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The minister briefed both houses of the parliament over the Libyan crisis as well as the military escalation between United States and Iran on the Iraqi theatre, after holding a wide round of talks in the last days.

He appealed again for de-escalating tension between the United States and Iran, after the most recent developments occurred on the Iraqi soil.

"We must work in order to encourage the dialogue between Washington and Tehran, (which is) an ambitious but necessary goal," Di Maio stressed.