Turkish Leader Welcomes Libyan Premier With Ceremony

Turkey's president on Monday welcomed the prime minister of Libya's Government of National Unity with an official ceremony in the capital Ankara.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a senior Turkish delegation welcomed Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and his high-level delegation – currently on a two-day official visit to Turkey – at the presidential complex.

The leaders are scheduled to have a face-to-face meeting before both attending a session of the Turkey-Libya High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, followed by a joint press conference.

The Libyan senior delegation includes five deputy prime ministers and 14 ministers, as well as Libyan Chief of General Staff Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad.

The council meeting will be co-chaired by Erdogan and Dbeibeh, and will be attended by government ministers from both countries.

The meeting will focus on regional and international issues and will review all aspects of bilateral relations between Turkey and Libya.

It will also discuss steps to further enhance cooperation between the two countries.

The main topics are expected to include the energy and healthcare sectors, as well as Turkish companies returning to Libya to continue operations that were halted in the chaos following the 2011 ouster of strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

On Feb. 5, Libyan delegates elected Mohammad Menfi to head a three-member Presidential Council and Dbeibeh the new prime minister.

Elections in the North African country are set for December. -