Türkiye and Malta will continue to have close dialogue and cooperation regarding the Libya issue and the fight against irregular migration, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Thursday.
In a joint news conference in the capital Ankara with Ian Borg, the Maltese foreign, European affairs and trade minister, Çavuşoğlu said Malta is one of the countries closest to Libya and that this has affected it negatively in terms of irregular migration.
"We will be in close consultation and cooperation on certain projects in Libya, especially in the fight against illegal immigration, and on issues related to the stability and future of Libya," he said.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations.
The current stalemate grew out of the failure to hold elections in December and the refusal of Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who led the transitional government, to step down. In response, the country’s east-based parliament appointed a rival prime minister, Fathi Bashagha, who has for months sought to install his government in Tripoli.
Borg said that Ankara is an essential partner for the European Union and a vital regional player.
“As two Mediterranean states and hence also regional partners, we also had a good discussion on several matters of mutual interest ranging from the present situation in Libya to the Eastern Mediterranean, migration, and others,” Borg said.
He said that the two top diplomats also discussed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Borg underlined that Türkiye’s efforts were “instrumental in achieving the Black Sea grain deal.”
On bilateral ties, Borg said that this year marked the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Malta.
Ahead of his visit to Ankara, Borg inaugurated Malta's Consulate General in Istanbul on Wednesday.
"Another milestone, strengthening our presence in such a strategic country," Borg said on Twitter.
On the other side, Çavuşoğlu underlined that the continuation of aid to Syria is vital in curbing irregular migration.
He highlighted that the most recent six-month authorization for a U.N. mandate for a vital border crossing expires on Jan. 10, 2023.
"Humanitarian aid needs to be delivered regularly. For this, the relevant U.N. Security Council Resolution 2642 needs to be extended. Its duration expires on Jan. 10. It was previously extended for six months. This is especially related to aid to be delivered to Syrians across the border through Türkiye,” Çavuşoğlu added.
The cross-border aid operation into Syria first started at four locations but was cut down to one through Türkiye into the opposition-held area last year because of resistance from Russia and China – two of the veto-wielding powers at the Security Council.
Over 4 million people in Syria's northwest rely on cross-border humanitarian operations for food aid, essential medicine and other basic humanitarian goods, according to the U.N.
