Story highlights Head of Libyan army tells CNN Libyan authorities have not been consulted

Gen. Khalifa Haftar says Libya will "look after" its interests

Solution to migration problem requires lifting of sanctions, general says

(CNN) The head of the Libyan Army has rejected the possibility of cooperating with any EU military intervention in his country intended to stem the flow of undocumented migrants trying to reach Europe.

In an exclusive interview Friday with CNN's Becky Anderson, Libyan army head Gen. Khalifa Haftar said Libyan authorities had not been consulted and, in any event, military action would not solve the problem.

"We will certainly not cooperate, because we were not involved in resolving this issue," Haftar said. "The decision was taken without consulting the legitimate Libyan side."

Libyan Army general Khalifa Haftar speaks during a press conference on May 17, 2014.

The European Union is struggling to cope with an increasing number of people crowding into unseaworthy boats and trying to reach European shores. Many of the travelers are fleeing violence and poverty in Libya and elsewhere in the region.

The capsizing of one vessel last weekend left an estimated 900 people dead.

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