“The policy is very clear; we will keep sanctions in place.”And on Libya, Vella also ruled out any interest from the EU to engage with Libya beyond its political remit. “I don’t foresee any Council decision to actively engage inside Libya. The Turkish authorities have a right to hold the alleged perpetrators of the coup to account; but we hold that human rights are the best antidote to authoritarianism,” Vella said.The minister also praised Turkish cooperation in stopping migrant arrivals from Syria which he said had led to a drastic reduction in deaths at sea.He said that as one of the key guarantors in Cypriot peace talks, he called on Turkey to normalise relations with Cyprus. “Malta is keen to promote the European enlargement and stabilisation process, to ensure momentum in negotiations with Turkey and the Balkans is maintained. Strengthening resilience in the face of external threats and internal disagreements requires an effort… investing in partners’ commitment to the European vocation, remains important.”

Source: Libya Today January 24, 2017 16:13 UTC