The chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation has defected from Muammar Qadhafi's administration and fled to neighbouring Tunisia, a Tunisian security source said on Tuesday. Libyan rebels also said they had information that Shokri Ghanem, 68, had defected, a move that if confirmed would deal a blow to Qadhafi's efforts to shore up his 41-year rule.
A government official in Tripoli said there was no sign Ghanem had defected. Rebels hold Benghazi and the oil-producing east of the North African country, helped by a Nato bombing campaign sanctioned at the United Nations to protect civilians from Qadhafi's forces. To that end, any defection by Ghanem could be significant. The oil chief is an internationally respected technocrat credited with liberalising Libya's economy and energy sector.
Rebel finance and oil minister Ali Tarhouni told Reuters on a visit to Doha that he understood Ghanem had left his post. Russia hosted a representative of Qadhafi's government in Moscow on Tuesday and called on Tripoli to stop using force against civilians, comply fully with UN Security Council resolutions and withdraw armed groups from cities. In central Tripoli, Nato airstrikes hit two buildings including one a Libyan spokesman said contained files detailing corruption cases against government officials who have defected.
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