The Libyan Unity Government deplored the “refusal” of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to step off the plane upon arrival in Tripoli and his return “without explanation”.
This is stated in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Government of National Unity on Thursday, November 17, 2022, which it posted on Facebook. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “At the request of them (the Greeks), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation granted the Greek Foreign Minister permission to visit Tripoli,” on Thursday morning. And she added: “The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (Naglaa al-Mangush) was waiting for him, according to diplomatic norms.”
She added: “However, in a surprising and outrageous situation, the Greek minister refused to get off his plane and returned to where he came from without any explanation.” And the Foreign Ministry added that it “condemns such behavior and will take appropriate diplomatic measures to preserve the prestige and sovereignty of the state of Libya.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to “the policies and rude positions adopted by the Greek Foreign Minister in recent days regarding the interests of the Libyan state, which are reflected in his unbalanced statements about the sovereignty of Libya and its right to relations that meet the aspirations of its people.”
Meanwhile, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said he canceled his visit to Libya due to violations by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Government of National Unity of the agreement on the agenda of the visit. Dendias tweeted: “My visit to Tripoli was cancelled… where I was supposed to meet with Presidential Council Chairman Muhammad al-Munfi because the Foreign Office violated an agreement not to meet with them. … and the visit to northern Libya continues as usual.”
Dendias said at a press conference after meeting with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani in Rome that his visit to Benghazi carries messages, primarily focusing on the need to secure a process that would allow for elections in Libya, with the withdrawal of foreign troops.
