(Picture: a scene of destruction in Tripoli, filed pic. Source: Associated Press)
by Alessandro Pagano Dritto (Twitter: @paganodritto)
[August 4th, 2019 – Italy] Ceasefire in Libya could be achieved “even through an international coalition”, Italian rightwing opposition party Forza Italia has acknowledged in an official inquiry to the government it submitted last July 23rd, 2019.
The inquiry, signed by a number of MPs from the party in the Parliament’s lower chamber, was aimed at questioning the government over its current policy in Libya, especially over the crisis in Tripoli, noting “as the civil war erupted, Italy played a marginal role, lacking of any coordination with Washington and the European chancelleries”.
On July 24th, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte answered Italy’s first goal is to de-escalate the conflict and therefore achieving a ceasefire in the Capital; consequently, resuming the political process under the leadership of the United Nations. Conte also said Italy fully supports Tripoli’s UN-backed Government of National Agreement (GNA), looking upon Marshal Khalifa Hafter as an interlocutor “basing on facts” (p. 12) nontheless.
However, the official answer showed no sign the government is even taking into consideration any form of international coalition over Libya.
MP Mara Carfagna from the party showed disappointment from the reply, accusing Prime Minister Conte of giving a “bureaucratic answer” (p. 12).
[Read about Senators from the ruling M5S party calling for a UN mission into Libya under the leadership of Italy in April 2019 on Between Libya and Italy]
It’s not the first time the idea of an international coalition intervening into Libya showes up aimed at achieving peace the Country: in the Parliament, a group of Senators from the ruling party Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) suggested earlier in April this year Italy should take the leadership of a UN mission, while a similar idea had been waved in March 2019 by MP Matteo Orfini from the former ruling party Partito Democratico, now filling the ranks of the opposition.
As for press, an Italian article had suggested a NATO no fly zone on Tripoli back in April, soon after the crisis in the Capital began, while later in July another article proposed a not better detailed European coalition against the Libyan National Army (LNA) in defence of Tripoli.
Forza Italia’s inquiry failed to detail in any form the international coalition it suggested along with a “stronger dialogue with the key Countries in the area”; nontheless it represents at least the second official case, after M5S, of a party deeming it a plausible option to achieve some peace in the war-torn North African Country; indeed, Orfini’s one was more likely a personal initiative proposed through the press.
Forza Italia currently counts on 104 congressmen out of 630 at the House of Deputies and 62 out of 319 at the Senate.
Between Libya And Italy 