Turkey anticipates to open its consulate in Benghazi on December 24 if authorities in eastern Libya provides the conditions for that, Turkish ambassador to Libya Kenan Yilmaz told the press on Sunday.
Yilmaz also revealed that there are “some obstacles that impede lifting the visa restrictions for Libyans now, and we hope that they will be lifted soon.”
Commenting on the Turkish-Libyan hydrocarbons deal signed recently in Tripoli, the diplomat affirmed that the deal “does not target the interests of any other country”. He also maintained that “the agreement will not be subject to political blackmail.”
The deal sparked wide controversy and angered Libyan and international actors who deemed the agreement as “illegal”. Libya’s east-based parliament have quickly rejected deal, declaring that the Tripoli-based transitional government, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, is unauthorized to broker long-term agreements with international parties since its mandate had expired.
“When the political parties in eastern Libya look at the texts of the memorandum in detail, they will not reject it because it is in the interest of Libya and the Libyans,” Yilmaz said.