TRIPOLI, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Government of National Unity and the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Committee of the House of Representatives on Sunday strongly rejected recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, saying Libya's dignity and its people must not be used as material for electoral debate.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah said in a statement that Libya rejects any insult directed at the country or its people, who have made major sacrifices in combating terrorism, emphasizing that relations with the United States must be based on mutual respect and shared interests.
"We will not accept Libya's dignity and its people being used as material for electoral disputes," Dbeibah said, adding that Libya's status and its regional and international role cannot be overlooked or compromised.
For its part, the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Committee, based in Benghazi, said in a statement that it had followed "unacceptable descriptions" of Libya, noting that such remarks contradict the principles of mutual respect and diplomatic responsibility.
The parliamentary committee demanded that the U.S. administration provide an "official clarification regarding these statements," emphasizing that Libya is "a sovereign state with an ancient history and a rich cultural heritage that cannot be reduced to fleeting descriptions or preconceived judgments."
The backlash followed Trump's remarks on Saturday at a campaign rally in Georgia, where he attacked immigration policies and named Libya, Yemen, Haiti and Somalia among what he called "terror-infested countries." The comments sparked widespread condemnation across Libyan political and public circles. ■