Turkey to display solidarity with Libya during holy month of Ramadan

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Turkey and Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) agreed on Wednesday in Ankara to establish a mechanism for Turkey to provide a $100 million loan and $100 million in cash aid, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu announced on Wednesday. Davutoğlu was speaking at a joint press conference following talks with Mahmoud Jibril, leader of the NTC. The meeting took place shortly after Turkey recognized the rebel council battling Muammar Gaddafi’s rule. The talks were meant to prepare the ground for a meeting of the so-called Libya Contact Group, scheduled for July 15 and 16 in İstanbul.The group includes all countries participating in the NATO-led campaign targeting the Libyan government and includes other major regional players. On Sunday, during a visit to the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, the stronghold of the rebels who launched an uprising against Gaddafi in February, Davutoğlu announced that the Turkish government will provide another $200 million to the NTC, in addition to a $100 million fund announced earlier.Turkey is ready to contribute in the medium and long terms toward the reconstruction of the Libyan state -- particularly the reconstruction of ministries and institutions -- Davutoğlu said on Wednesday.He and Jibril agreed on launching joint activities to coincide with the impending Muslim holy month of Ramadan in order to display solidarity between Turkey and Libya. Davutoğlu also expressed hope that the coming days would be the start of a much brighter future for Libya.“In good days and in bad days, but God willing always in good days, we have been together with the Libyan people and we will continue to do so,” Davutoğlu said and addressed Jibril in Arabic, saying, “Our house is your house.”The $100 million is not a loan but humanitarian assistance, Davutoğlu said in response to a question concerning details of the contributions that will be made to Libya. “$40 million of this assistance has already been spent in various areas,” he added.“Libya is not a poor country,” he said, adding that the international community would discuss steps to be taken on the issue of Libya’s frozen financial assets during an upcoming International Contact Group’s meeting on Libya slated to take place in July in Turkey.