Turkish and Italian FMs meet for Libya talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio in Istanbul on Tuesday as part of last-minute talks on Libya.

The meetings come after the European Union called on Turkey on Tuesday to stop its "interference" in conflict-ravaged Libya and appealed to forces fighting in the northern African country for a ceasefire around the capital, Tripoli.

Speaking after talks with the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Italy in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Turkey's decision to deploy troops "is something that we reject and increases our worries about the situation in Libya."

Libya is governed by duelling authorities, one based in the east and one in Tripoli in the west, with each relying on different militias for support.

The east-based government is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Russia. The UN-backed government in Tripoli receives aid from Turkey, Qatar and Italy.