By Ahmed Elumami.
Benghazi, 21 March 2104:
There has been no agreement that oil blockader and Cyrenaica federalist Ibrahim Jadhran will hand over . . .[restrict]the oil terminals, leave Libya and go into exile in Dubai, the spokesman for the self-proclaimed Executive Bureau of Cyrenaica, Ali Al-Hassi, told the Libya Herald today.
There have been reports, mainly from Misrata, that a deal is being negotiated with Jadhran under he would hand over the terminals and leave the country in return for Misrata forces pulling back from Sirte.
“It’s not true,” said Hassi.
He claimed, however, that the basis of a deal had been agreed on Wednesday to exchange prisoners in negotiations between the commanders of the Central Libya Shield force and Jadhran’s forces.
If it happened, he said, it could open the door to the oil terminals being handed over. But, repeating the demand of Cyrenaica’s “prime minister” Abdaraba Abdulhamid Al-Barasi earlier this week, he said that Decree No. 42 issued by the President of Congress, Nuri Abu Sahmain, on 8 March in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief and ordering an armed force to free the oil terminals had first to be withdrawn. The Misrata-based Central Libya Shield force which went to Sirte last Tuesday in response to the decree had to return home.
Four days ago, the Misratans claimed they had pulled out from Sirte which they moved into on 11 March, and from three oilfields near Zillah to which they had then advanced.
Other reports claim that they were forced out of the oilfields by Jadhran’s men.
On 12 March, Abu Sahmain suspended his order for two weeks to allow for mediators to persuade Jadhran’s forces to hand over the terminals. The suspension is due to end on 26 March.
It is reported that that the Libya Shield force asked for a week to consider its reply to the demand about withdrawing from Sirte. That would also be on 26 March. [/restrict]
