FCO meets Libyan Interior Minister

The Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne met the Libyan Interior Minister, Mr Fawzy Abdilal, who is making his first visit to the UK since becoming Interior Minister at the end of November 2011. As the FCO reports in a press statement, the visit will focus on how the UK can assist the Transitional Libyan Government in bringing stability and security throughout the country. “I am very pleased that the Libyan Interior Minister was able to visit the UK so soon after being appointed to his new role. His visit is a valuable opportunity for us to continue to build a productive and frank relationship between our two countries. During our meeting, I emphasised that the Libyan people’s struggle and sacrifice during the revolution must not be betrayed by a lack of respect for human rights in the new Libya. Recent allegations of torture in Misrata are deeply troubling and I urged the Minister to take action to bring the facilities where detainees are held under government control," Mr Brown said in the statement. During his visit, Mr Abdilal will also meet the Home Secretary, the Secretary of State for International Development and the FCO Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt. Mr Abdilal will also be visiting the Bramshill police training authority and a Security and Policing Exhibition. The UK is already providing assistance to the Libyan Transitional Government and will increase its assistance over the coming months in close co-operation with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. “There is much the UK can do to assist the Libyan Transitional Government with the task of rebuilding Libya. We are already providing assistance directly to the Transitional Government, in close consultation with the UN.  A professional security sector under full democratic control that respects human rights is an essential component for stability in Libya. In this regard, I hope that Mr Abdilal’s visit to the Bramshill National Policing Improvement Authority will promote the sharing of best practice between our two countries," the FCO Minister also said. In a statement issued by the Libyan embassy, Mr Abdilal expressed his appreciation for the UK Government for its continued support of the National Transitional Government. Mr Abdilal reiterated Libya’s commitment to the respect of human rights and adherence to international conventions and treaties. He assured the Minister that the Libyan authorities take all such allegations seriously and are working tirelessly to prevent any violations of this sort. He added that many challenges lie ahead and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the UK Government across a range of bilateral issues and further developing our long-standing relations.