Ankara moves to broker Libya deal

Turkey could emerge as a mediator to the ongoing conflict in Libya as Ankara was preparing to hold talks with an official from Tripoli in the wake of similar discussions with groups that oppose the North African country’s government.

"Our sincere wish is to see the end of the pains of the Libyan people as soon as possible and the formation of a road map in line with their demands," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told reporters Monday. Davutoğlu said a delegation from the oppositional Libyan National Congress has also been invited to Ankara, which seeks ground for a cease-fire between the clashing groups.

Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi met with Davutoğlu late Monday but no statement had been made when the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review went to print.

"The lives of each and every Libyan matter for us. Assaults against civilians should be ended immediately," Davutoğlu said, adding that Turkey would continue its sound policy for a peaceful solution to the problem by keeping the territorial integrity of Libya.

“We will listen to all sides and look to see if we can find common ground,” a senior Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomat told the Daily News.

Davutoğlu's meeting with the government official was within the knowledge of the opposition groups that previously met with the foreign minister.

The foreign minister will soon meet again with representatives of the opposition, the source added.  

“Turkey prioritizes the full implementation of the U.N. Security Council Resolution No. 1973 and the halting of the bloodshed. And of course for the bloodshed to stop, there needs to be a cease-fire,” said the senior diplomatic official, who declined to be named.

Last month, the United Nations authorized the imposition of a no-fly zone over the country. At the moment, NATO is in charge of the international campaign in the skies over the North African country.

Asked whether Turkey could play a mediator role in a possible cease-fire, the Turkish diplomat declined to use the term and said the Libyan envoy was not only visiting Turkey but Greece and Malta as well on his current trip.

“There has been no message from [Libyan leader Col. Moammar] Gadhafi. The two sides, the government and the opposition, asked for an appointment only to convey their views,” said the ministry official, who declined to be named.

However, the diplomat implied that Turkey could undertake such a mission considering its role in producing a 12-hour cease-fire for a Turkish cruise-ship-turned hospital to anchor in the besieged Libyan city of Misrata and carry injured residents to Turkey for treatment over the weekend.

"That was a very integrated operation," Davutoğlu said, adding that Turkey would continue its efforts to extend its help to suffering Libyan people. He informed that two C-130 cargo planes were sent to Libya and another one would be sent to the North African country.

Rasmussen's agenda

The Libyan envoy’s visit coincided with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s behind-the-scenes meetings in Ankara with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül and Davutoğlu.

A written statement from Erdoğan’s office revealed that the talks focused on what could be done in Libya to ensure a cease-fire based on U.N. Security Council resolutions. The statement also emphasized the respect for the Libyan people’s will for a solution to the crisis in the country.

The ongoing Libya operation, the new Strategic Concept of the alliance and new command and control system as well as missile defense mechanism dominated Rasmussen's meetings, according to sources. Turkey wants a limited and a short NATO operation that would avoid hurting civilian people and the country's infrastructure. 

Apart from Libya, sources also recalled Turkey's insistence to keep the NATO base in İzmir open despite pressure for its closure due to financial reasons. The two also discussed Turkey's potential participation in the missile defense project and whether the country would agree to deploy a radar system on its soil. 

FM's Sunni-Shiite diplomacy

Davutoğlu’s agenda has also been full with the ongoing conflict in Bahrain, where the Shiite majority has complained of discrimination at the hands of the Sunni ruling royal family. The foreign minister will visit Bahrain on Tuesday, diplomatic sources told the Daily News.

Ankara recently established contacts with both Shiite and Sunni countries in the Arab world in an attempt to prevent the conflict in the island kingdom from becoming a regional sectarian clash.

Turkey, however, has been paying special attention to prevent the visit being interpreted as open support for the Sunni administration. Diplomatic sources said Davutoğlu would also meet with opposition groups in the country, just as he did previously during the Tunisian uprising.

Another guest in Ankara was Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who met with Davutoğlu at a dinner in Ankara late Monday after earlier meeting with Erdoğan.