NATO chief, Libyan envoy in Turkey for talks

The Envoy

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen held closed-door meetings with Turkish leaders in Ankara Monday as Turkey sought to broker a possible Libya cease-fire, according to reports from numerous news agencies.

Also due to arrive in Turkey Monday: Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi, followed by an as-yet unidentified representative of the Libyan opposition. Reuters reports:

An envoy from Muammar Gadhafi's government was expected to arrive in Ankara later on Monday, a Turkish foreign ministry official said, as Turkey sought to broker a ceasefire in Libya.

The official said a representative of the opposition was expected to come to Ankara after Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Obeidi, but did not disclose who would be coming from the opposition or when.

"We will talk and see if there is common basis for a ceasefire," the Turkish official said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO's Rasmussen "exchanged views about ways to secure a cease-fire in Libya in line with UN resolutions," Turkey's Anatolian News Agency reported. "They agreed on a stance that would bring forward respect to the will of the Libyan people."

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who also met with NATO's Rasmussen, said their meeting "specifically focused on Turkey's humanitarian efforts for the Libyan people," Turkey's ambassador to the United States Namik Tan said in a tweet.

Separately, the Italian government announced Monday that it would officially recognize the Libyan opposition Transitional National Council,the Wall Street Journal reported. Kuwait is also expected to issue official recognition of the group in the next few days. France first recognized the opposition council as the official representative of Libya last month.

(NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen waves to cameras as he arrives to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Turkey Monday, April 4, 2011. NATO took sole control of air operations over Libya last Thursday.: Burhan Ozbilici/AP)