Libya's self-declared prime minister, who runs a rival government not recognised by the international community, met a Turkish envoy on Oct. 21, in the first publicly known diplomatic meeting with a foreign representative Hurriyet Daily News reported
Libya has had two governments and parliaments competing for legitimacy since an armed group seized Tripoli in August. Omar al-Hasi set up his own cabinet in the capital and forced the internationally recognised prime minister, Abdullah Thinni, to move to the east of the country.
Hasi met Turkey's special envoy for Libya, Emrullah İshler, in Tripoli, Hasi's government said on its website. It showed a picture of the meeting in the prime minister's office, which had been previously used by Thinni.
The United Nations and Western powers have tried to bring both sides to the negotiating table to end the country's chaos but have avoided recognising or dealing publicly with Hasi, who was elected by the rival assembly in Tripoli.
İshler had previously visited Tobruk, a town in Libya's far east where the elected parliament allied to Thinni has moved.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman declined to comment.