ANKARA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday accused France of inciting the crisis in Libya by supporting Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern-based army of Libya.
"The support of France to the putschist and pirate Khafter, who attempted to establish an authoritarian regime in the country by overthrowing the legitimate government of Libya and publicly declared that he was not in favor of a political solution, fueled the Libyan crisis," a written statement by the ministry said.
The approach of France encouraged Khafter to insist on military methods and increased the "suffering and distress" of the Libyan people, said the statement.
The French foreign ministry's recent statement about Turkey's position in Libya "is a new indicator of France's dark and unexplained policy towards Libya," read the statement.
The biggest obstacle to the establishment of peace and stability in Libya is the support given by France and some countries to the"illegitimate" administration which is contrary to the UN Security Council resolutions, the Turkish ministry emphasized.
Turkey supports a government, recognized by the international community within the framework of the UN resolutions, upon its request, said the statement. "While our country is with the legitimate government, France stands by a coup and an illegitimate person to the UN and NATO decisions," read the statement.
The French foreign ministry on Monday said Turkey's "aggressive" role in Libya was unacceptable. The ministry said that "foreign interference, in particular the intensification of Turkish support," including what it said was a violation of the UN's arms embargo, was thwarting efforts to secure a cease-fire.
Turkey backs the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and has signed a military cooperation agreement to support its fight against Haftar. Turkey sent troops to Libya as part of this accord.
Since the uprising which killed former Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, Libya has been divided between the powers of GNA and the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Haftar. Enditem
