The rising threat of Islamic State gives warring factions in Libya a “strong impetus to come together” and form a unified government, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said today.

Such a government, he said, would be supported by the international community and could help find a solution to tensions in the North African State.

Mr Hammond was speaking to the press after a meeting with European Affairs Minister Louis Grech during which they discussed the newly proposed diplomatic approach to dealing with the threat of IS in Libya before action is stepped up through some form of UN intervention.

Asked why the UK was in favour of a diplomatic approach but had supported air strikes in Libya during the anti Gaddafi uprising back in 2011, Mr Hammond said the Gaddafi regime had posed a “real and present humanitarian danger”.

“We wanted to avoid a massacre and chose that option because that was what the situation warranted,” he said.

UK UNDERSTANDS MALTA'S MIGRATION PROBLEM

Mr Hammond also referred to the Libyan faucet of the Mediterranean migration flow, and said the UK “understands Malta’s problem and stands in solidarity”.

Asked, however, if the UK’s stand of solidarity was more of a ‘bystander’ approach, Mr Hammond said the UK believed in dealing with migration at the root cause.

“We want to tackle this problem by addressing the reasons why people are fleeing, giving them stability, creating employment and stopping the push factors that are encouraging people to leave,” he said.

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