Aguila Saleh Issa

Turkey's growing influence in Libya is reportedly worrying Athens, especially as tensions between Ankara and Benghazi have eased.

Athens on Friday remained on increased diplomatic alert following recent developments in Libya where Turkey appears to be consolidating its presence and taking on a kingmaker role after halting Khalifa Haftar's forces which are waging a battle in the west of the country against the Tripoli-based government.

The risk of a wider escalation in Libya was the focus of a telephone conversation late Thursday between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Libya's Parliament speaker in the east, Aguila Saleh.

In a post on Twitter Friday, Dendias said the two had discussed the "need for a peaceful settlement to [the] crisis."

Turkey's willingness to dispatch troops to Libya is "unacceptable" and such a move would constitute unwanted meddling in the affairs of a friendly country, the speaker of the north African country's parliament said Saturday.