Following their meeting with the Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Unity, Fayez el-Sarraj, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, assured, on Wednesday 8 January in Brussels, that the European Union was ready to make a greater commitment to work towards resolving the political crisis in Libya.
"The European Union will step up efforts towards a peaceful and political solution in Libya", said Charles Michel in a statement.
Mr Borrell - who had claimed that very morning, following an exceptional meeting of the College of Commissioners, that the situation in Libya was reaching a "water-shed point" - assured that the EU was ready to accompany the implementation of a political process and a lasting ceasefire in Libya.
Political solution, without foreign interference. The two European leaders expressed concern about the escalation of tensions and reaffirmed their support for the Berlin process. The resolution of this conflict, they believe, can only be achieved through dialogue.
"Further military action will have catastrophic consequences for the Libyan population and for the whole region", Borrell said, calling for the resumption of negotiations under the leadership of the United Nations.
The High Representative also reiterated his condemnation of "external interference which will only exacerbate further the conflict" (see EUROPE 12398/1). A reference in particular to the dispatch by Turkey, an ally of the government of Fayez el-Sarraj, of 35 soldiers to Libya. However, they will not be called to fight, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet said Wednesday, quoting President Erdoğan.
Parliament's President David Sassoli also spoke to Fayez el-Sarraj on Wednesday. In a statement, he said he too was committed to a political resolution of the conflict, without external interference, and confirmed the EU's readiness to "foster dialogue between all the main actors".
Libya on the agenda. The Libyan issue is expected to be discussed at the Extraordinary Council meeting between Mr Borrell and EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Friday 10 January.
"This extraordinary meeting has been planned so that the ministers can exchange views internally on the situation in the Middle East and decide on the way forward and what the EU can do", Peter Stano, spokesman for the European External Action Service, told the press on Wednesday.
The weekend will also be marked by Charles Michel's visit on Saturday 11 January to Istanbul, where he will meet Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and then to Cairo, for discussions with President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki, intern)