The envoy, Chris Stevens, "has arrived in Benghazi and he is meeting with members of the Transitional National Council (TNC)," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, told reporters.

The talks will focus on humanitarian assistance as well as the council's "democratic aspirations, commitment to universal human rights," Toner said.

The meetings will help Stevens get "to know the leadership of the TNC" as well as find out "what sort of civil society, political structure they want to create," he added.

But said the move did not mark recognition of the TNC, which US official say they need to understand better.