TURKEY STARTING TROOP DEPLOYMENT TO LIBYA AHEAD OF BERLIN SUMMIT

ANKARA, Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey is beginning to send troops into Libya in support of the internationally recognised government in Tripoli, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, days before a summit in Berlin which will address the Libyan conflict.

Speaking in Ankara, Erdogan added that Turkey will continue to use all diplomatic and military means to ensure stability to its south, including in Libya.

President Erdogan is due to meet leaders of Germany, Russia, Britain and Italy on Sunday to discuss the conflict.

He also said Turkey would start granting licenses for exploration and drilling in the eastern Mediterranean in 2020, in accord with a maritime agreement with Libya.

“Turkey’s Oruc Reis ship would begin seismic activities in the region.” He said.

Germany is to press ahead with a Libya peace conference on Sunday even though talks in Moscow ended fruitlessly, with Libya’s eastern strongman Gen Khalifa Haftar leaving without signing a ceasefire agreement to end nine months of fighting in the country.

The German foreign ministry said leaders and heads of state from 12 countries and four multinational organisations, including the United Nations, had been invited to Berlin on Sunday.

The meeting is going ahead despite a fresh outbreak of heavy gunfire in Tripoli and reports that one of Haftar’s chief backers – the United Arab Emirates – was resupplying Haftar forces. Haftar was flanked at the Moscow talks by advisers from the UAE.