Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush on Sunday called for Arab countries' support in U.N. efforts for holding the country's stalled elections as a meeting of their foreign ministers was held in the capital Tripoli.
"Libya insists on practicing its full rights in the Arab League," Mangoush said, rejecting what she called "politicization of the work rules" in the pan-Arab league.
The Libyan diplomat called on the Arab League to support efforts aimed at activating the role of the U.N. mission in Libya "to create a favorable atmosphere for holding the elections and ending the transitional periods peacefully."
Sunday's meeting was attended by a number of Arab countries, including Algeria, Tunisia and Qatar. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit were not present.
The snub underlines Arab divisions over the Tripoli-based government, whose legitimacy is contested by a rival administration in the war-scarred country's east.
Mangoush condemned what she called "attempts by certain sides to crush Libyans' desire to transform Arab solidarity into a reality."
Libya, which holds the organization's rotating presidency, is "determined to play its role in the Arab League (and) rejects any attempt to politicize the League's founding documents," she said.
Libya fell into a decade of violence following the 2011 overthrow of dictator Moammar Gadhafi in a NATO-backed rebellion.
The resulting power grab gave rise to myriad home-grown militias and prompted interventions by Arab powers as well as Türkiye, Russia and Western states.
Since March last year, an administration in Libya's east backed by putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar – who has been close to Russia and Egypt – has challenged the government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, arguing it has outlived its mandate.
The head of the rival government thanked Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for "declining to take part in the theatrics through which the expired government tried to portray itself as being internationally recognized."
In a tweet, Fathi Bashagha also urged Libya's western neighbors Algeria and Tunisia, who also sent foreign ministers to the meeting, to "review their policies toward Libya and not to be fooled by a government whose mandate has ended."
The Tripoli-based unity government was the product of a United Nations-mediated peace process following the country's last major battle in 2020.