Learn from May’s mistakes and bide time, Johnson tells Libyans
UK was ‘too optimistic’ about fall of Gaddafi
BORIS JOHNSON has told Libyan politicians to learn from Theresa May’s mistakes and avoid holding elections until they are ready.
The Foreign Secretary made the remarks about the Conservatives’ disastrous election result during a two-day visit to the North African country, where he urged military and political leaders to restore peace and stability, according to the BBC.
The head of Libya’s unity government issued a warning this week that Europe faced a growing risk from terrorists unless it did more to help his country stem the massive tide of illegal migrants.
Mr Johnson, in a separate interview on his return to the UK, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that Britain had been too optimistic following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, which plunged the country into unrest.
He said: “Of course we were way overoptimistic about what would happen when we got rid of Gaddafi.
“We thought that the elections in 2014 would be a solution and actually they made things worse.
“That’s the point I’ve been making over the last couple of days to people in Libya.
“They need to glue back together the two sides of the country, they need to come together with a political agreement.
“I think that politicians in Libya need, as it were, to suppress their own selfish interest to compromise for the good of the country and get behind the UN plan.”
He defended funding the Libyan coastguard, amid accusations that it had fired on NGO boats that were attempting to rescue drowning migrants.
Mr Johnson said: “Where there is evidence of breach of the law of the sea or illegal behaviour then obviously that’s to be deplored, but none of that has been shown to us. That’s why we are training the Libyan coastguard and they are very grateful for what we are doing.”
This was the first visit to Benghazi by a government Minister since 2011 and the first time that the Foreign Secretary had met Field Marshall Haftar, head of the Libyan National Army, as well as members of the House of Representatives representing Benghazi.
It came as Mr Johnson said Britain would pay “not a penny more, not a penny less” than it had to after Brexit after previously saying Brussels should “go whistle” over the so-called divorce bill.
The Foreign Secretary said Britain would meet its legal obligations to the bloc as he faced questions about his earlier stance over a potential financial settlement. He made the remarks in the Commons in July when grilled by MPs over demands from Brussels that Britain must pay a bill of tens of billions of pounds to cover the cost of Brexit.
Asked whether Britain would have to pay, Mr Johnson said: “Of course we will meet our obligations, we are law-abiding, billpaying people. The UK has contributed hundreds of billions over the years... well, we will certainly meet our obligations.”
He said he would not “haggle” over the figure, adding: “I can give you an absolute clear, precise answer and that is we should pay not a penny more, not a penny less of what we think our legal obligations amount.”
He dodged questions on whether he would support a transition deal, backed by Chancellor Phillip Hammond, which would allow for temporary arrangements on trading conditions after exiting the EU.
Mr Johnson said “speed and efficiency” were a priority if there was a transition period on membership of the customs union.
Negotiators are gearing up for the third round of formal talks in Brussels next week, following the publication of a number of Government position papers on crucial matters such as trade and the role of the European Court of Justice post-Brexit.