Italy and France are working to stop the conflict in Libya, Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said after meeting his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Rome on Friday. "Naturally we talked about the situation in Libya, which is worrying and holds the attention of both our governments," Moavero told a joint press conference with Le Drian. "Our position, an absolutely joint one, is that a ceasefire must be achieved as soon as possible. "That must be followed by a humanitarian truce and a return to talks. "We have solidarity with the Libyan people, who are suffering the effects of the armed clashes". Le Drian echoed those sentiments. "It is not possible to do anything in Libya without solid Franco-Italian agreement and there is no way out of the crisis that isn't political," he said. "The crisis in Libya can become very dangerous, so it's necessary to stop it.
"It is not possible to contemplate any military solution," he added when asked about reports of French support for General Khalifa Haftar, the eastern strongman who has launched an offensive on the UN-backed government in Tripoli. Le Drian also said that Rome and Paris have patched things up after recent tension over several issues, including migrants and the support of some members of the Italian government for the Yellow Vest protest movement in France. "We went through a somewhat difficult period in relations with Italy but these difficulties have been overcome," he said.
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