Ankara, Tripoli strengthen cooperation, after years of tension

Tripoli and Ankara on Friday decided to strengthen their efforts to improve their bilateral relations and their talks dealt with selling Turkish water to Libya following years of tension between them.

The Libyan foreign minister Abdul Rahman Shalqam signed in Ankara with his Turkish counterpart Ismael Cim protocols that state to make regular consultations and to improve consulate services in the two countries following bilateral talks between the two sides.

Cim expressed his readiness that Turkey will increase its trade exchange with Libya and its interest to export the water of "Manganat" river in the province Antalia, situated on the Mediterranean coast to Libya. Turkey is negotiating a similar agreement with Israel.

Shalqam for his part, expressed readiness to improve the relations in all fields and to open new prospects with Turkey.