Russian envoy meets Libya rebels, Tripoli bombed

BENGHAZI: President Dmitry Medvedev's envoy Mikhail Margelov was Tuesday meeting with Libyan rebel leaders in the first trip by a top Russian official to their stronghold, as NATO warplanes pounded the capital Tripoli.

"We have come to Benghazi to facilitate dialogue between the two camps," Margelov told reporters on touching down at Benghazi's airport, confirming Russia's wish to mediate between the rebels and Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

"Russia is in a unique position because it already has an ambassador in Tripoli and now we are meeting with the rebel leadership today," he added.

Margelov, Medvedev's Africa envoy, told Russia's RIA Novosti news agency earlier he would meet rebel leaders including Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the National Transitional Council that controls eastern Libya.

"A drawing out of the armed conflict will worsen the humanitarian situation not only in Libya but also in neighbouring states that are taking on Libyan refugees," Margelov told RIA.

An official in Moscow said on Monday that Margelov would meet with rebel leaders but would not travel to Tripoli.

But the envoy said on his arrival that he would be in Cairo on Wednesday and added, without elaborating, that he "may eventually travel to Tripoli."

Moscow has expressed alarm as NATO's air campaign to enforce a UN-mandated no-fly zone to protect civilians entered a new phase with the deployment of British and French attack helicopters over the weekend.

A wave of explosions on Tuesday shook the centre of the Libyan capital, sending plumes of smoke billowing across an area in which strongman Moamer Kadhafi has his residence, an AFP correspondent witnessed.

The first blast rocked Tripoli at 10:45 am (0845 GMT) and was followed by seven others.

A column of smoke rose over a barrack in the complex which was "once again targeted by NATO" strikes, government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told journalists.

He added there had been "casualties" without providing further details.

The complex that includes Khadafi's residence has been consistently targeted by a NATO air campaign in Libya.

Beijing meanwhile said on Tuesday that Chinese diplomats have arrived in Benghazi to meet with members of the opposition and assess the conflict in the oil-rich nation.

The unnamed diplomats from China's embassy in Egypt arrived in the eastern city "to gain an understanding of the humanitarian situation and the situation for Chinese investing entities", a Chinese foreign ministry statement said.

Russia and China, both permanent Security Council members, abstained from the UN Security Council vote in March that gave the go-ahead for international military action against Kadhafi's regime.

And as foreign powers beat a path to the rebels' door, Spain said Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez will travel to Benghazi for a meeting with the rebels on Wednesday.

France, Italy, Britain, Qatar, Gambia, Jordan and Malta are the states that have so far recognised the rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC) as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

In Vienna, an informed source told AFP that Kadhafi will be represented at this week's OPEC oil meeting by Omran Abukraa, ex-head of the national electricity authority.

Last month, Libya's previous acting oil minister Shukri Ghanem resigned and left Libya to join the uprising against Kadhafi.

Abukraa, a Kadhafi loyalist, will lead the Libyan delegation at a regular output meeting of oil ministers from the 12-nation Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the source said.