LOC19:02
16:02 GMT
CAIRO, Aug 23 (KUNA) -- Egypt confirmed on Tuesday that it had responded to
calls by the Libyan Interim National Council to recognize it as the legitimate
authority, hand over the embassy premises and offer urgent aid to clear mines.
The official Middle East News Agency (MENA) quoted a ranking diplomat as
saying that these requests had been forwarded by the representative of the
transitional council, the permanent delegate of Libya at the Arab lague,
Ambassador Abdul Men'em Al-Honi, to the Foreign Minister, Mohammed Amr, during
a meeting on Monday.
Al-Honi, who requested that Cairo recognize the ruling council, was
surprised to hear from Amro that the government had already decided to take
this step.
The diplomat added that Cairo accepted the second request, the hand-over of
the Libyan embassy building to the council, and indicated it would take such a
move promptly.
He added that Cairo promised to help in clearing mines planted by the
crumbling regime on alleways and roads leading to the town of Al-Buraiga.
The fourth request that was also accepted was resumption of flights by
Egypt Air to Tripoli and Benghazi. (end)
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KUNA 231902 Aug 11NNNN