Gaddafi Government Hints At Willingness To Negotiate Step-Down
The Libyan government letter to Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations secretary general, and the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, reiterated what Mr Kaim said were existing Libyan government ceasefire proposals.
That would include monitoring by the United Nations, and reconciliation talks with the rebels leading to a final settlement and a new constitution.
He denied media reports that a visit next week by African mediators led by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa would be discussing an “exit strategy” for the Libyan leader.
But he said that constitutional changes already discussed over the last year by the Libyan government apparatus included the possibility that Col Gaddafi would either take a figurehead role or retreat from politics altogether leaving a “normal” political system in place.
“It all depends on what the Libyan people want,” he said.
The letter is likely to be dismissed by the rebel side, which has said such ceasefire offers have in the past three months been ignored by government forces even as they were being made. They also believe that Col Gaddafi is unlikely to step down – he already claims just to be a figurehead.
(Source: telegraph.co.uk)
