Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chief of the Transitional National Council (TNC) based in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, is to meet President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, a ministry statement said Su
Ankara (ANTARA News/AFP) - The head of Libya`s rebel council is to hold talks in NATO member country Turkey during a two-day visit starting Monday, the Turkish foreign ministry said.

Mustafa Abdul Jalil, chief of the Transitional National Council (TNC) based in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi, is to meet President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, a ministry statement said Sunday.

The visit would mark the highest-level contact so far between Turkey, NATO`s sole Muslim-majority member, and the Libyan opposition following Ankara`s initial reluctance to back military action in the conflict-torn north African country.

The talks will focus "on latest developments in Libya and ways of improving coordination and cooperation in initiatives of humanitarian assistance that our country has undertaken for the Libyan people," the statement said.

Turkey has proposed a "road map" to end the Libyan turmoil, urging an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of sieges by regime forces of rebel-held towns and the initiation of a "transformation process" that would lead to free elections.

It has maintained contacts with the TNC through its consulate in Benghazi, and in April, Davutoglu met with one of the council`s senior members in Qatar.

Earlier this month, Erdogan urged Moamer Kadhafi to "immediately" cede power and leave Libya.

Kadhafi`s departure has become "inevitable," he said, adding the Libyan leader "must take this historic step in the name of Libya`s future, territorial integrity and peace."

Turkey toughened its tone after initially criticizing the US-led air strikes on Libya launched on March 19 and insisting on a limited combat role for NATO once the alliance took over command.

It has refused to take part in air raids, contributing six military vessels to a patrol mission enforcing a UN-mandated arms embargo in Libyan waters.

Turkey has also undertaken several humanitarian operations, notably the evacuation of more than 300 wounded Libyans from rebel-held areas for treatment in Turkey. (S008)

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Editor: Ella Syafputri
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