By Firdevs Bulut
ANKARA (AA) - Turkey and Libya plan to advance cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, including search and drilling activities, to further benefit from natural resources, said the Turkish president in a meeting with the Libyan prime minister on Thursday.
The meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fayez al-Sarraj took place in the presidential palace in the Turkish capital Ankara.
"Despite heinous attacks by putschist Khalifa Haftar, the Libyan government took necessary measures against the pandemic," said Erdogan on Libya's fight with COVID-19.
"History will judge those who cause bloodshed and tears in Libya by supporting putschist Haftar," he added.
Turkey will stand by the Sarraj government, and continue fighting on all international platforms for a just and legitimate solution, Erdogan noted.
"We've thanked Turkey for its historic and brave stance on Libya," said Sarraj in the meeting.
Referring to the Libyan government's fight with warlord Khalifa Haftar and militias loyal to him in the eastern part of the country, Sarraj said: "We will continue our struggle until we eliminate the enemy in Libya".
He added: "The Libyan government will not allow negotiations in next stages with warlord Khalifa Haftar".
Meanwhile, Sarraj said they want to see Turkish companies in Libya, while rebuilding the country.
Erdogan also called on the international community to stop the putschist Khalifa Haftar from illegally selling oil which rightfully belongs to the Libyan people.