Gaddafi’s first action after the announcement of his candidacy: He calls on Turkey

Turkey is an important country in the region and has a great opportunity to contribute to Libya’s peace and stability, a Gaddafi spokesman said on Monday.

With the presidential elections in Libya fast approaching, the political scene of the war-torn country was shaken once again, this time by the official candidacy of the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Saif al-Islam. He announced his candidacy on Sunday for the country’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections on December 24, according to Libya’s Supreme National Electoral Commission (HNEC).

Al-Islam, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the 2011 uprising, has submitted his candidacy documents in the southern city of Saba, 650km south of the capital Tripoli, he said. HNEC in a statement. However, there are also reports that some have submitted another application to have his candidacy annulled due to his trial by the ICC, following the death of his father and the Libyan revolution.

The news divided factions, with Musa Ibrahim Gaddafi, the last official spokesman for the ousted Libyan ruler, saying that al-Islam was not a single plan for governing Libya but a national plan for peace, reconciliation, economic and political development.

“Turkey is of great interest to Libya because of the affairs of the Eastern Mediterranean, in addition to good relations and cooperation with the recognized UN government. There have been several statements by the Turkish authorities that Turkey supports the political peace process in Libya and is committed to importance in the upcoming elections “, he said according to what was broadcast by Turkish media such as Sabah.

Musa Ibrahim said Turkey’s position is crucial and the Turkish government should be in touch with all candidates.

“I think Turkey is an important country in the Middle East, it has a great opportunity to contribute to the peace and stability of Libya by working with all the candidates, but especially with Dr. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to ensure that the political process “Libya is successful, independent and that this political process expresses the wishes, hopes and dreams of the Libyan people and not those of the West,” he said.

Delivering a message from Saif al-Islam, Musa Ibrahim said: “I call on the Turkish government to play an important role in helping Libya make a peaceful transition to a fruitful political process in the coming months. It is very important that no foreign government intervenes.” on the Libyan scene, but to ensure that there is no foreign military presence in Libya or foreign mercenary support or any violence in the country, I think Turkey can do that if the government understands the political scene in Libya well. now with the entry of Dr. Saif al-Islam as a presidential candidate “.

Stressing that Libya is a country that has been destroyed without sovereignty and that the West has complete sovereignty over the country’s affairs, Ibrahim said: “Millions of Libyans hope that Dr. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi will be able to unite many Libyans to establish a process. of national dialogue, peace and reconciliation and then to go even further in building a constitutional basis for the future of Libya. ”

Gaddafi’s son was captured by militants in Zidane in late 2011, the year a NATO-backed popular uprising toppled his father after more than 40 years in power. Muammar Gaddafi was later assassinated in the ensuing conflict, which escalated into a civil war. As a result, oil-rich Libya has spent most of the last decade between rival governments – one based in the capital, Tripoli, and the other in the east.

In a video released by an election official, al-Islam addressed the camera, saying that God would decide the right path for the country’s future. He wore a traditional Libyan robe and turban and glasses. It was the first time in years that he appeared in public.

Al-Islam was considered the reformist face of the Gaddafi regime before the 2011 uprising. He was released in June 2017 after more than five years in prison. In July, he told the New York Times in an exclusive interview that he was considering running for the top job in the country. His candidacy is likely to provoke controversy across the divided country.

Gaddafi’s return is likely to disrupt Haftar’s plans to take over the helm of the country, and Libyan Brotherhood leaders are also said to have felt uncomfortable with Gaddafi’s release but have overtaken it.

Meanwhile, some Arab media outlets have claimed that Turkey aims to form a alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood and Gaddafi supporters, in order to calm down the opposition of the former supporters of the regime to the Turkish presence in Libya and to undermine Haftar.

Regarding the request of the opponents to cancel the candidacy of Saif al-Islam, the spokesman said that the request is officially, formally and legally accepted. “Those who want to cancel it have no power. The case is over and over. Dr. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is the official candidate for the presidency of Libya.”

Petros Kranias