In Tripoli, deputy foreign minister Khaled Kaaim said Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi`s government was in contact with members of the rebel NTC, but denied rumours of contacts with General Abdel Fatah Yunis, who was killed on Thursday.
"There are contacts with Mahmud Jibril (number two in the NTC), and (Ali) Essawy (in charge of external relations), (religious leader Ali) Sallabi and others," Kaaim told a news conference.
On talk of recent contacts between the regime and Yunis, Kaaim said: "He was in contact with the government during his visit in Italy two months ago.
"Since then we had no contact with him despite (the fact that) we still have other contact with other members of NTC but not with Abdel Fatah."
The rebels, who have frequently denied having any direct negotiations with the Kadhafi regime, sought on Saturday to stamp out rumours by providing details on Yunis`s killing and tightening security in their Benghazi bastion.
NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil said Yunis had been summoned from the front by a committee of four judges with the knowledge of the NTC`s executive committee, the rebels` de facto government.
"The recall of General Fatah Yunis from Ajdabiya was based on a warrant that was issued with the knowledge of the executive committee" of the NTC, he told reporters.
"I don`t know why this arrest (warrant) was issued and we don`t know who was present at the meeting when the decision was made... or on what basis the decision was made."(*)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
