President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin called on parties in Libya to declare a ceasefire in their joint statement.
“Joint Statement by the Presidents of the Republic of Turkey and the Russian Federation” said that they, the Presidents of Turkey and Russia, had developed a wide range of constructive bilateral relations based on mutual respect, emphasizing that TurkStream Natural Gas Pipeline, which was inaugurated in Istanbul today, was a concrete example of this mutually beneficial relationship.
The statement highlighted that it was pleasing to see that cooperation not only served the common interests of our people but also contributed to the settlement of regional issues, and noted the following:
"We are deeply concerned about the increased tension between the US and Iran and its negative repercussions in Iraq. We consider that the US air operation targeting the Commander of the Special Forces 'Quds' Corps of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Qasim Soleimani and his entourage in Baghdad on November 3, 2020 has adversely affected security and stability in the region. In the light of Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on coalition military bases in Iraq on January 8, 2020, mutual attacks and the use of force will not contribute to the solution of complex problems in the Middle East, no matter which side takes such actions; on the contrary, they will lead to a new cycle of instability and ultimately harm everyone’s interests. We have always been against foreign interventions, unilateral military actions and sectarian conflicts. In this respect, we express our commitment to reducing the current tension in the region and call on all parties to act moderately and prudently and prioritize diplomacy.
Syria
Under the title of Syria, the joint statement said: "We reaffirm our commitment to the sovereignty, independence, political unity and territorial integrity of Syria.”
The statement also noted: "We emphasize our determination to combat all forms and manifestations of terrorism and to break apart the separatist agendas in Syria, and in this context, we reaffirm the importance of the implementation of the Memoranda of 17 September 2018 and 22 October 2019. We emphasize the need to ensure peace in the De-escalation Zone in Idlib, with all the elements of all agreements concerning Idlib being implemented. We reaffirm our commitment to working under the Astana Mechanism and support the Constitutional Committee for a lasting political solution in line with the United Nations Security Council resolution no. 2254. We emphasize the need to increase humanitarian aid to all Syrians without discrimination, politicization and pre-conditions.” the joint statement said.
The statement highlighted that the two leaders were watching with great concern the developments in Libya, which has long suffered from the war, especially the increasing conflicts around Tripoli, and continued: " The deteriorating situation in Libya undermines the security and stability of the vast neighbouring territories, the entire Mediterranean region and the African continent, and triggers terrorism, further proliferation of weapons, irregular migration, and other criminal activities including illegal smuggling. We reaffirm our strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national unity of Libya.”
Permanent peace and stability in the country can only be achieved through a political process based on a sincere and inclusive dialogue between the Libyans, and one that is led and owned by the Libyans, the statement said and continued:
"Searching for a military solution to the ongoing conflict in Libya is only causing more suffering and is further deepening the division between the Libyans. Based on the Libyan Political Agreement of 2015, UNSCR Resolution no. 2259 and other relevant UNSC Resolutions, the most important priority among Libyans for initiating a comprehensive political process under the auspices of the UN is the immediate declaration of a ceasefire. We reiterate our support for the Berlin Process, which aims to create a conducive atmosphere to revitalize the UN-facilitated political process, and remind that the Berlin process can only yield tangible outcomes with the involvement and commitment of the Libyans as well as neighbouring countries.”
00:00 hours on 12 January
The joint statement of the two leaders made the following call:
"We have decided to take the initiative under the current critical circumstances and in the light of the objectives set out by relevant UNSC resolutions. In this context, we, as intermediaries, call on all parties in Libya to immediately gather around a negotiating table to stop the hostilities as of 00.00 hours on 12 January, declare a sustainable ceasefire, supported by the necessary measures for stabilizing the situation on the ground and normalizing daily life in Tripoli and other cities, end the Libyan people’s suffering and restore peace and prosperity in the country. We firmly believe that Libyans can independently decide on the future of their homeland within the framework of a national dialogue that takes the interests of all citizens into account without any exception."