PM Zidan: Libya Will Not Sever Relations with Egypt

Both Egyptian and Libyan authorities denied media reports on Wednesday that Tripoli had expelled Egypt’s ambassador.

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan denied on Wednesday media reports that his country had severed its diplomatic relations with neighboring Egypt.

“The era for severing relations with Egypt has gone with [former autocrat Muammar] Gaddafi,” Zidan told a televised press conference from the Libyan capital Tripoli.

“Our relations with Egypt are far more important than one person,” he asserted.

Russia Today (RT News) reported earlier today that Libya had decided to cut its diplomatic relations with Egypt and had given the Egyptian ambassador 24 hours to leave the country.

“The report is completely baseless,” Zidan insisted.

“The Egyptian ambassador is still in Tripoli. He is well respected and most welcomed,” he added.

An Egyptian court on Tuesday acquitted a cousin of Gaddafi of charges that he had tried to kill two Egyptian police officers early this year.

Ahmed Gadhaf Al-Dam, who was the coordinator of Libyan-Egyptian relations under Gaddafi, is on a list of former Gaddafi regime officials living in Egypt and demanded by the Libyan authorities.

The Libyan authorities accuse remnants of the Gaddafi regime of fomenting unrest in the country from behind the curtains.

“We can have differences of opinion, but we will never sever our relations with Egypt,” Zidan said.

Source: World Bulletin