Congolese ex-warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba is expected to travel to Portugal this weekend but has no deal for exile there, according to the Portuguese.
There have been intense diplomatic negotiations about the future of the former presidential contender, whose personal guard fought a two-day battle in the Congolese capital Kinshasa at the end of last week after refusing an order to disarm.
Diplomats yesterday said he would travel to Portugal, fuelling speculation he might go into long-term exile but Portugal's embassy in the Democratic Republic Congo denied any deal.
"There's no exile. He will leave this weekend in principle if all aspects of the agreements are in place ... he'll be there as a tourist," Ambassador Alfredo Duarte Costa, said.
He added that Mr Bemba would go to Portugal for medical treatment for a leg fracture sustained in December.
Mr Costa said he believed Mr Bemba had a 90-day visa issued by Belgium under the Schengen Agreement which allows holders visit any of the 15 European signatory states.
They are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
He added that Mr Bemba's wife and children already had 90-day tourist visas for Portugal.
Negotiations with the Congolese government over the terms of his departure were continuing, Mr Costa added.
Last week, up to 600 people were reported killed in clashes which were a blow to international hopes for a fast consolidation of democracy following last year's landmark elections in the former Belgian colony.
Mr Bemba's forces were routed and he took refuge with his family in the South African embassy and the government ordered his arrest for high treason.
President Joseph Kabila, who won last year's poll has vowed to capture those responsible for the unrest. But foreign ambassadors have criticised his government for what they called a premature and disproportionate use of military force to subdue Mr Bemba's men.
The fighting was the worst since the first elections in more than 40 years, as the mineral-rich state sought stability after a 5-year war which ended in 2003.