Libyan PM arrives in Cairo

Hend Kortam
2 Min Read

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan arrived in Cairo on Thursday night ahead of scheduled talks with top Egyptian officials on Friday.

Zeidan is scheduled to hold talks with Interim President Adly Mansour, Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi and Defence Minister Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, state-run Al-Ahram reported.

He and the delegation he led were received in Cairo by Aviation Minister Abdul Aziz Fadel and Libyan Ambassador to Cairo Mohamed Fayez Gibreel.

Zeidan met with Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on Wednesday on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Libya’s LANA news agency reported.

His visit comes after the release of six Egyptian embassy workers who were kidnapped in Libya by an unknown group last Friday and Saturday.

After the kidnapping, El-Beblawi contacted Zeidan, who said Libyan authorities had launched an investigation and are working to secure the workers’ release.

The workers were released after Egyptian authorities released a Libyan rebel leader but Egypt’s foreign ministry has denied reports of a prisoner swap.

In October 2013, dozens of Egyptian drivers were abducted near Ajdabiya, and were later released following a joint effort by the two neighbours

Egypt and Libya signed an agreement for military cooperation in April 2013. The agreement tackled border security, which involves the two countries sharing expertise regarding border control and fighting illegal immigration and fishing operations.

Egyptians, however, continued to illegally cross into Libya despite warnings from both governments advising them to obtain the correct documentation before travelling.

Last October, two Egyptians died of thirst after 72 entered Libya illegally in two separate groups.

Egyptian fishermen also continued to enter Libyan waters, with the latest incident occurring earlier this month, when 15 Egyptian fishermen were arrested and eventually released for illegal fishing activity.

 

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