Today the long-awaited (perhaps too much) Berlin Conference on the Libyan question will begin, which has the specific purpose of establishing a lasting truce, the disarmament of the militias, the respect of the arms embargo and calling free elections in order to give the country a stable government.
Initially it seemed that the two leaders of the opposing factions, the recognized premier al-Sarraj and the strongman of the Cyrenaean Haftar, attended the Conference (albeit at different tables); while the latest rumors circulating speak of a rethinking of al-Sarraj and that he will send only one delegation.
The most plausible hypothesis, to justify the defection, could be adopted at the passage of the draft of the official document of the Conference in which it is asked a new government of national agreement. Or an implicit request to al-Sarraj to step aside.
A possible international mission continues to remain out of the document, also supported by the High Representative Borrell according to which, if there is a truce, the EU must be ready to help, possibly with soldiers, also for check the arms embargo.
However, most of the nations that are supposed to provide soldiers remain very lukewarm about the mission. Germany would have already pulled out, while the French (who will eventually prevail in Libya will still have their advantage) underline the refusal of the population to accept a foreign military force on their territory.
Turkey, meanwhile, continues to send militias and armaments (in these days the 35 mm anti-aircraft self-propelled KORKUT - photo opening) have arrived, in the hypothesis very likely that Haftar will persist in the refusal of a truce and will therefore continue in its attempts to conquer Tripoli (in these hours he ordered to block the production of crude oil in Cyrenaica).
In the background stands the Italian government, sidelined by the military initiatives of Ankara and the diplomatic ones of Moscow.
At this point, the military mission may be the only way (perhaps) to regain credibility in the Libyan question.
In fact, if a truce could be established, we could expand the staff of our contingent already present in Misrata, perhaps by sending a medium brigade, supported by attack helicopters and heavy armored vehicles, in order to discourage possible attacks by the out of control militias.
Furthermore, we would send a clear signal to Ankara about our intentions to protect a strategic area for our country.
Photo: FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.Ş.
