US President Donald Trump received Chairman of Presidential Council Fayaz Sarraj in Washington on Friday.
Trump, according to Sarraj’s media office, stressed his country’s support for the Presidential Council and UN-led action plan to achieve a political settlement in Libya. He also praised the Presidential Council for its effort to bring security and stability to the country and its cooperation with the USA to encounter terrorism.
“President Trump also called for enhancing cooperation with Libya in all fields and stressed the need to support the Libyan economy”. The media office said.
The White House meeting was attended by US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser, Herbert Raymond McMaster, in addition to Fayaz Sarraj’s delegation which included Foreign Minister, Mohammed Sayal, and Planning Minister, Taher Jahaimi.
Sarraj also held separate meetings with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis.
Tillerson stressed that the Libyan political agreement is the only way out of the current crisis and that the military action is not the solution.
In his meeting with Mattis, both sides agreed to continue their cooperation and build on the victory over ISIS in Sirte.
“Both sides also discussed the US support to the Libyan military and security departments and the Presidential Guard, and ways of establishing a unified Libyan army”. The media office of Sarraj indicated.
Sarraj briefed Mattis about the latest in the security and political situations of the country, hailing the US support for his government in its war on ISIS in Sirte.
He also called for lifting the UN arms embargo on Libya, which, he said, is one of the challenges that face the country.
“We hope this arms embargo will be partially lifted to equip some units of the Libyan army such as the Presidential Guard and the Coastguard”. Sarraj demanded.
