Erdogan-Sarkozy rivalry in Libya
16 September 2011, Friday / VEYSEL AYHAN, ORSAM
Prime Minister Erdogan’s visit to Tunisia and Libya after his visit to Egypt made France that defined North Africa as the new area of influence nervous considerably. Before Prime Minister Erdogan’s visit to Libya, Sarkozy with taking the British Prime Minister David Cameron arranged a surprise visit to Libya.
Even though Sarkozy’s visit to Libya has been on the agenda for a long time, it is quite remarkable that the visit was announced during the time when Prime Minister Erdogan was going to Tunisia from Egypt. Sarkozy wants to show with his visit to Libya to the international community that France has a more important role in Libya during the process of transformation and wants to hold the status of being the first leader visiting Libya. Furthermore, as the first country commencing the March 19, 2011 attacks, France and Sarkozy administration did not want to leave the prestige and impact gained in the eyes of the Libyan public and new administration to Prime Minister Erdogan.
Being in the first line endeavors of France and the UK
When the first anti-Gaddafi demonstrations took place in Libya, France took the side of the opponents, and Turkey was a bit late in perceiving the problem and did not exhibit the same reaction as she did to the Egyptian leader Mubarak. Considering that the policy was implemented so as to save thousands of citizens, Turkey did not make a radical change in her policy regarding Libya during the subsequent days. While a possible NATO intervention was discussed in the UK and France and while Libyan leader Gaddafi was increasing military pressures on the opponents, the uncertainties occurred in the Turkish politics affected the Libyan opposition very negatively. Afterwards, when arming the Libyan opponents came into the agenda in early April, Turkey declared that she was “against the arming of the opponents” and this situation caused new anger in Benghazi. Some opposition movements that are uncomfortable with the Turkish policies and that have been shown since April 5 made an attack on the Embassy in Benghazi and these developments resulted in grave repercussions in Turkey and in the international community.
Apart from being one of the first administrations recognizing the Libyan opposition, the Sarkozy administration strived hard to exclude Turkey from the process. Not inviting Turkey to the meeting held in Paris before the March 19 attacks, the French administration initiated the attacks which brought victory to the Libyan opponents on March 19 when the Gaddafi forces came to the border by moving more fast compared to other countries. After the fall of Tripoli, France showed the leading role of France in resolving the Libya problem to the international community once again by initiating a big conference in Paris on September 1. Within that regard, it is seen that France, different from Egypt and Tunisia, is playing the role of solving the Libya problem in favor of the Libyan opponents by the Libyan opponents and the international community. As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Erdogan’s visit to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya appeared on the agenda and enormous interest shown to Erdogan in Egypt made the Sarkozy administration anxious and before Erdogan’s visit to Tunisia, with a spontaneous decision the Sarkozy administration with the UK decided on a official visit to Tripoli and Benghazi. Of course, the surprise visit of Sarkozy cannot be evaluated independently from the target of Sarkozy in restricting the influence of Turkey in North Africa in the process of transformation and underscore the French role once again. Moreover, considering the process in Libya, it is seen that France has already been a few steps ahead. However, taking into consideration that the restructuring period in Libya has been completed, it is difficult to foresee which direction the rivalry of France and Turkey over Libya will end up in favor of.
Visits to Libya of France and Turkey and the given messages
The most significant message given by Sarkozy during his visit to Libya is that the French administration is and will be supporting the Libyan opposition during their fight of freedom. In his statements in Tripoli, Sarkozy declared that “I would like to express the France is very proud to be working with her British friends”. It was an expected statement from the French and British officials that they underscored they provided political, military and diplomatic support to the opposition movements in Tripoli and Benghazi and they also declared they were ready to provide any kind of support during the process of transformation. The most important argument raised during France’s visit to Libya was that Paris was supporting the opposition leaders. Before the visit, when journalists asked some questions regarding a report which was concerned with Sarkozy’s interest in capturing all the post-war prizes to French Minister of Economy Francois Baroin, and he stated that such a subject was not on their agenda. As a matter of fact, it is thought that the visit was arranged to demonstrate the role of France and the UK in Libya, rather than economic concerns directly. However, it is also considered that considering the timing, the visits might have a different meaning due to their being held just one day before the Erdogan’s visit. The main meaning behind this may be to prevent the influential power gained after the support given to the Libyan leaders since early March from being lost with the recent Turkish support.
Within that regard, the basis of the messages given by the UK and France was that both countries were supporting the revolution process. It is also remarkable that leaders indicated that the process did not finalize yet and they would be supporting the new Libyan administration in the upcoming periods about the letting the Libyan properties that had been frozen free. One of the most important problems waiting for the new administration is the management of the economic resources as well as the sharing of the administration. Furthermore, it is seen that President of the National Transitional Council of Libya Mustafa AbdukJalil has put great emphasis on the French and British support so as to reinforce his leadership and decrease the opposition to emerge against him in the new period.
On the other hand, it is expected from Turkey to give the message during the visit to Libya that they support the Libya public opposition to Gaddafi, and moreover, they will be opposing any external intervention during the new restructuring period. Especially, she is expected to criticize indirectly the draft resolution brought to agenda by the UK in the United Nations before her visit to Libya. Turkey is also expected to take the issue of utilization of the Libyan oil revenues by the Libyans themselves to the agenda and criticize the acquisition of 35% privilege of the French petroleum companies from the Libyan National Transitional Council indirectly.
Within this context, the most important argument to be raised and brought into the agenda by Turkey during the visit to Libya is that she is opposing the division of the Libyan energy resources by foreign companies in such a way that was pursued during the previous type imperialism. Turkey is also expected to oppose the demand of the British and French to assign foreign military personnel and advisors to Libya.
On the other hand, apart from Erdogan’s visit to Tripoli and Benghazi, he is expected to visit Misurata. As it is known, the Ankara Ferry on April 3, 2011 took 230 injured and 60 helping people from Misurata to Izmir and in the hospital established there, one made the treatments of the injured people coming from Libya in the subsequent days. Therefore, it is highly probable that Misurata will be welcoming Erdogan in a more different way.
Consequently, both the interest of the public and the new administration to Turkey’s visit to Libya and the observation of the international public opinion regarding this incident will give the first signs of which country will be having a more active role in the process of transformation in Libya. Even though France already seems to be ahead, it is expected that Turkey will be more advantageous with her cultural, historical, social linkages and point of view in the medium-term. With the possibility of both countries working together, it is thought that the path pursued by France will be more determining about that. It is foreseen that the pressures applied on the Arabs with North Africa origins in the streets of Paris, uncertainties in the Palestine politics, positions of the pro-Gaddafi tribes in the new restructuring period, Sarkozy’s attitude towards the disagreements to occur in between the tribes in the new Libyan administration, religious differences, increasing Islam phobia in France in recent years, and other national and regional factors will have the potential of decreasing the influence of France. On the other hand, it is evident that Turkey is with mighty rivals in Libya, different from Egypt and Tunisia. Even so, the French field of operations in Libya is though to be quite restricted owing to the abovementioned reasons.
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Turkey-France rivalry over Libya - 2
20 September 2011, Tuesday / VEYSEL AYHAN, ORSAM
Prime Minister Erdogan’s visits to Egypt, Tunisia and Libya in which administrations fall with the public movements referred as the Arab Spring were followed in the region as well as by the international community, they also resulted in some concerns in certain countries.
France, getting uncomfortable with the initiatives of Turkey, arranged an official visit to Libya where the most brutal aspects of the Arab Spring take place, and France also underscored the French role during the process of transformation in the country. In their statements, the British Prime Minister Cameron who made visits to Tripoli and Benghazi in Libya with Sarkozy indicated that the NATO intervention and the role of the United Nations would continue. Both leaders, in their statements to the Libyan public, posited that their target was to bring freedom to Libya. While Sarkozy and Cameron were stating that they would go on with the war, there were some clashes in Sirte and Beni Velid. After the visit of two leaders, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the National Transitional Council of Libya as the legitimate representative of Libya and the UN Security Council produced the 2009-numbered resolution in which the members agreed on the establishment of a temporary mandate government in Libya under the United Nations Support Mission in Libya –UNSMIL-. This way, it became evident that at least one of the countries supporting the NATO’s military intervention in Libya will be directly coordinating the new restructuring period in Libya for additional three months.
Mandate government in Libya and the new policy regarding Libya of the West
During the Libya Conference arranged and hosted by Sarkozy and Cameron in Paris on September 1, the subject of discussion was the establishment of a mission in Libya by the United Nations in order to bring stability to Libya and the removal of the sanction decisions. 1 During the visit of the two leaders to Libya, in a draft resolution presented to the Council to be added on the agenda, there was the demand of the establishment of a mandate government of the UN in Libya. On September 16, the members of the Council agreed with a consensus to establish a new authority in order to help the National Transitional Council in Libya with the 2009-numbered resolution. Within the resolution, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya was planned to help the National Transitional Council in preparing a new constitution, providing the rule of law, supporting the public security, contributing to the consensus efforts with the inclusion of large numbers, writing the new law of elections and realizing the elections. In the decision, letting the Libyan accounts that were held frozen free, lifting the arm embargo partially and removing the sanctions applied on the oil companies were also agreed on. The activities of the UN are indicated to contribute to the embrace of a democratic, independent and united Libya with the consideration of the Libyan sovereignty. 2 UN Support Mission in Libya will also help the National Transitional Council of Libya in improving economy, and managing the economic sources and funds. 3 At this point, there will be a huge discussion topic about how billions of dollars will be used in restructuring of Libya and what kind of a role the UN Support Mission in Libya will be having on this matter. It is not clear whether the National Transitional Council will be making a decision while new agreements to be made on the construction and oil sectors will appear on the agenda. It is essential to underscore the role of the UN Support Mission in Libya in re-constructing hundreds of thousands of collapsed buildings, establishing oil pipelines and discovering new oil reserves and their marketing. Moreover, the management of about $170 billion money assets of Libya that were frozen externally after its being freed is raising many questions in one’s mind.
Statements made in Libya by Turkey and France
The main argument made by Sarkozy and David Cameron during their visits to Libya was that they have been supporting the opponents since the very beginning of the insurgencies. Furthermore, they declared that their support to the National Transitional Council would go on until the pro-Gaddafi forces surrendered. While Sarkozy indicated that the Libyan public was under threat and the NATO attacks would continue, Cameron posited that the mission was not completed and the UK would maintain the fighting until Gaddafi would be brought before justice. 4 On the other hand, it is noteworthy of underscoring that President of the National Transitional Council Mustafa Abdul Jalil stated during the joint press meeting in Tripoli once again that the countries contributing to the restructuring of Libya would be prioritized. Even though both leaders did not discuss about the economic issues before the public, President of the National Transitional Council Jalil indicated that the countries supporting the opponents will be prioritized and some of the agreements signed during Gaddafi reign would be put under investigation. 5 As a matter of fact, the French Liberation Newspaper argued that in return of the full support of France, the opponent leaders gave 35% right of management of the oil production in Libya. While Minister of Foreign Affairs Allain Juppé stated that he was not aware of such a letter, he said the following: “However, as far as I know the opponents declared that they would prioritize the countries supporting the re-construction in Libya the most. I found it quite logical and fair. Besides, we are not alone; there also the Americans and Italians. All said that ‘Intervention in Libya is expensive, yet it is an investment on the future.’” 6
At this point, France and the UK gave two messages in Libya. First of the them is the military, political and diplomatic support given to the opponents since the inception and the second one is that they will not let any group in Libya, apart from the National Transitional Council, to take part in the re-construction period in Libya. However, one should not forget that the source of legitimacy of the resolutions produced about Libya by the UN and the NATO intervention is the protection of the civilians. As of September 1, it is ignored that the side in defending position is not the one belonging to the National Transitional Council but to the pro-Gaddafi forces and the ones in offensive position are the forces under the National Transitional Council. It could have been better for NATO to take a different stance for the future of Libya after the attacks made by NATO in Sirte and Ben Velid to the protect the civilians, yet caused to death of many in the cities.
Therefore, while France and the UK were declaring during their visits to Libya that they supported the continuation of the war, the Libyans were fighting against each other in Sirte and Beni Velid. As the forces of the National Transitional Council bombed the cities under attack heavily, the NATO forces went on bombing the cities from air. While one found a rightful and legitimate side of the bombings of the forces of Gaddafi by the NATO forces during the period in which Tripoli was under Gaddafi administration, it will bring about various grave problems to ignore the problems of the groups, which are referred as pro-Gaddafi one but composed of opposing tribes, in Beni Velid, Sabha and Sirte. Although one knows that there is no possibility of Gaddafi coming to power again, one should discuss about how the attacks made on these cities are in line with the mission of protecting civilians. For example, to define a group belonging to the Varfalla tribe that is resisting to the National Transitional Council in Ben Velid as a pro-Gaddafi group and to suppress these groups using military methods might result in blood feuds between tribes.
Within that context, when one analyzes the factors stated by Prime Minister Erdogan during his visit to Libya, it is seen that Turkey gave important messages to the new figures in power, to the public in Sirte and Beni Velid and to the Western powers. While Prime Minister Erdogan was criticizing the policies of the powers considering the Libya problem merely with economic concerns, especially the oil resource concerns of the West, during his visits in Libya, he also made some suggestions of resolving the problems between the Libyan groups with democratic methods. In return of the threat of France and the UK in preserving the war, Turkey stated that she supported the inclusion of the seemingly pro-Gaddafi groups into the process of restructuring. Prime Minister Erdogan underscored the importance of the inclusion of these groups into this restructuring process with his following statements: “There ongoing clashes in Sirte, Sabha at the moment. I am now telling my brothers staying there that: ‘Come and you too join Tripoli and Benghazi, work together. Do not shed more blood, do not let more people die’”. 7 Soon after the statements of Turkey in Libya, she commenced to send humanitarian aid to the opposition tribes in Beni Velid, Sirte and other cities. Looking from a comparative perspective, to the areas that are bombed by the NATO forces from air, Turkey sends humanitarian aid. Even though this situation draws attention of some pro-NTC groups, the policy of Turkey can be referred as to approach all Libyans equally.
Prime Minister Erdogan also gave messages to the countries and the ones ready to cooperate with these countries wishing to take the control of the underground and overland resources, especially the oil reserves in Libya, of the country. Prime Minister Erdogan demonstrated that he was against to the policies of France and the UK, and on the other hand, called for the Libyan public to be more careful against the policies of the National Transitional Council in marketing the resources of Libya to other countries with his following argument: “Do not give credit to anyone making calculations over the underground and overland resources of Libya. Libya belongs to the Libyans.” 8
To conclude, the most important message of Prime Minister Erdogan during his visit to Libya is that Turkey has a humanitarian responsibility to the all Libyan equally and despite some reactions of certain groups, she will be determined to send aid to Beni Velid and Sirte. Turkey, at the same time, made some warning to the Libyan public about his allies in NATO desiring to take control over the underground and overland resources of Libya and in case of signing possible contracts, she underscored she would raise her voice once again. Therefore, it can be asserted that Turkey will be bringing the discussion over policy towards Libya once again in the upcoming days. It is thought that the Western powers, especially France, will start to implement their economic expectations over Libya that has not ensured her stability yet with different strategies. The agreements to be signed during the process of transformation will be restricting the field of action of the figures coming to power in the upcoming periods. It is thought that Paris is aware of that, and thus, will try to exclude the seemingly pro-Gaddafi groups from the transition process. This way, they will try to realize their targets on some Libyans and Libya in general.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-257339-turkey-france-rivalry-over-libya
