Libya’s Oil and Gas Ministry has denounced the joint statement of the embassies of France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom and United States that reiterated support for the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and considered it an intervention in domestic affairs and an attempt to control decision making in Libya and its resources.

The Ministry added that this joint statement is a provocation to Libyans as it creates hostility that will lead to plunging the oil and gas sector into the political conflict, reiterating that such a statement by those ambassadors has been recurrent with the aim to back up the NOC and to warn state authorities against keeping NOC under the control of the state, describing such a warning as giving the NOC a bigger role than its technical and commercial one.

The Ministry said it would contact relevant state authorities to explain the threats caused by such statements against the oil sector in Libya, asking authorities to communicate to the countries of those embassies the need to halt such interventions.

“Libya’s sovereignty must be respected without interventions in its domestic affairs, which constitute a real threat to Libya as certain figures try to impose their will on the will of the whole country.

The embassies issued a statement on Thursday supporting the integrity and independence of the NOC and warning of acts that undermine its work.