Najla

Libya's internationally recognised prime minister has sacked his top diplomat after she met her Israeli counterpart, with news of the encounter triggering protests in a country that does not recognise Israel.

Libya's prime minister suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush on Sunday and referred her for investigation after Israel said its Foreign Minister Eli Cohen had met her last week despite the countries not having formal relations.

The leader of Libya's government said Sunday that he had suspended his foreign minister after her Israeli counterpart announced he had held talks with her last week in Rome.

After several years of virtually nonexistent relations, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis spoke on the phone Wednesday with Najla Mangoush, the interim foreign minister of the government of national unity in Tripoli.

After several years of virtually nonexistent relations, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis spoke on the telephone Wednesday with his Libyan counterpart Najla Mangoush, signaling that contacts between Athens and Tripoli are at a turning point in the effort to build functional channels of communication.

Libya's presidential council suspended Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush from her duties on Nov. 6 days before an international conference is to make a new push to restore stability to the war-battered nation.

The council opened an inquiry into alleged "administrative breaches" by Mangoush, spokeswoman Najla Weheba told the Libya Panorama television channel.