Libya denies contacts with Israeli officials

Libya officially denied news rumored concerning making contacts between Libyan and Israeli officials. The deputy chairman of the people's committee for foreign relations, Hasouna al-Shawish, said that official sides in his country made investigations that proved that what was published on such news is rumors and baseless.

Yesterday, the Israeli public radio said yesterday that one advisor for the Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom met in Paris ten days ago with a high ranking Libyan official, to discuss the establishment of relations between Israel and Libya.

A senior political source said that the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon received a report concerning the meeting which came following Libya's announcement to give up banned armament programs.

On the other hand, member of the Israeli Knesset for Shenewi Party, Allen Shilghi, said that he and other Israeli figures met with Seif al-Islam al- Qathafi, son of the Libyan leader, in one of the European capitals, on the sideline of an international conference.

He disclosed that four high ranking Palestinian figures, he did not specify, attended the meeting, and that the Americans played a role in arranging the meeting which was not made under a Libyan or Israeli initiative, rather by an initiative by the organizers of the conference.

Shelghi explained that Seif al-Islam did not oppose the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel, but only after settling the Israeli- Palestinian conflict.