Military intervention in Libya
is "not imminent", Italian Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said
on Thursday.
Pinotti told a talkshow on Canale 5 that Italy was focused
on supporting Libya through its political process, although
concerns were growing over the influence of the Islamic State
(ISIS) militants.
She said ISIS "is experiencing defeats in Iraq and Syria
and is thinking of moving into Libya, where we have recorded the
transfer of some leaders to protect themselves from coalition
attacks".
A list of proposed government ministers presented in Libya
had been rejected and a new list is due to be presented next
week, she said.
"We hope that MPs will be able to agree on a government of
national unity and then the Libyans themselves will tell us what
they need and establish the necessary security framework," she
said.
Turning to Iraq, she said an Italian military mission
tasked with protecting the Mosul dam would leave in the Spring.
Italian firm Trevi has been awarded the contract to repair
Iraq's biggest dam, whose risk of collapse has increased since
it was seized by ISIS in 2014 and did not receive adequate
maintenance.
Separately, Pinotti said a decision to send 130 Italian
soldiers to Iraq with personnel recovery duties was a response
to requests for extra support from France after the attacks in
Paris last year.
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