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Italian FM vows support for Libya's new gov't in Tripoli

Xinhua, April 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

Italian foreign minister on Tuesday flew to the Libyan capital of Tripoli to have talks with the UN-backed unity government.

The visit comes after the government of national accord, headed by Fayez Serraj, has arrived in Tripoli late last month.

"We are strongly committed to supporting the new government and the presidency council," Paolo Gentiloni told a press conference following a meeting with Serraj.

Gentiloni is the first European official to have met with the new authorities in the Libyan capital.

"The first message should be that the Libyan people and government should be the one leading the activity against the Islamic State," he added.

The government of Serraj has entered Tripoli on March 30 via sea from Tunisia. It is for the moment based in the heavily guarded Abu Setta naval base.

The North African nation has been in turmoil since the 2011 social upheaval that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Under a UN-brokered plan, Serraj is to head a new national government. His task is to bring together the Tobruk and Tripoli factions, along with the militias backing each side.

Earlier this month, Libya's self-proclaimed government in Tripoli decided to step down after Serraj's team entered the capital. Endit