Gadhafi welcome to retire in Libya: rebel chief
July 4, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MOAMMAR Gadhafi is welcome to live out his retirement inside Libya as long as he gives up all power, Libya's rebel chief said yesterday in the clearest concession the rebels have so far offered.
Gadhafi has resisted all international calls for him to go and vowed to fight to the end, but members of his inner circle have indicated they are ready to negotiate with the rebels, including on the Libyan leader's future.
Gadhafi is still holding on to power, five months into a rebellion against his 41-year rule and despite a NATO bombardment.
"As a peaceful solution, we offered that he can resign and order his soldiers to withdraw from their barracks and positions, and then he can decide either to stay in Libya or abroad," rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said in an interview.
"If he desires to stay in Libya, we will determine the place and it will be under international supervision. And there will be international supervision of all his movements," said Jalil, who heads the rebels' National Transitional Council.
Speaking in his eastern Libyan stronghold of Benghazi, Abdel Jalil, Gadhafi's former justice minister, said he made the proposal about a month ago through the United Nations but had yet to receive any response from Tripoli. He said one suggestion was that Gadhafi could spend his retirement under guard in a military barracks.
The conflict in Libya is close to deadlock, with rebels on three fronts unable to make a decisive advance towards the Libyan capital and growing strains inside NATO about the cost of the operation and the lack of a military breakthrough.
Previous attempts to negotiate a peace deal have foundered, but some analysts said Gadhafi's entourage may look for a way out as air strikes and sanctions narrow their options.
Gadhafi's daughter Aisha said last week her father would be prepared to cut a deal with the rebels though he would not leave the country, and his son, Saif al-Islam, has said Gadhafi would step down if that is what the people of Libya want.
Gadhafi has resisted all international calls for him to go and vowed to fight to the end, but members of his inner circle have indicated they are ready to negotiate with the rebels, including on the Libyan leader's future.
Gadhafi is still holding on to power, five months into a rebellion against his 41-year rule and despite a NATO bombardment.
"As a peaceful solution, we offered that he can resign and order his soldiers to withdraw from their barracks and positions, and then he can decide either to stay in Libya or abroad," rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said in an interview.
"If he desires to stay in Libya, we will determine the place and it will be under international supervision. And there will be international supervision of all his movements," said Jalil, who heads the rebels' National Transitional Council.
Speaking in his eastern Libyan stronghold of Benghazi, Abdel Jalil, Gadhafi's former justice minister, said he made the proposal about a month ago through the United Nations but had yet to receive any response from Tripoli. He said one suggestion was that Gadhafi could spend his retirement under guard in a military barracks.
The conflict in Libya is close to deadlock, with rebels on three fronts unable to make a decisive advance towards the Libyan capital and growing strains inside NATO about the cost of the operation and the lack of a military breakthrough.
Previous attempts to negotiate a peace deal have foundered, but some analysts said Gadhafi's entourage may look for a way out as air strikes and sanctions narrow their options.
Gadhafi's daughter Aisha said last week her father would be prepared to cut a deal with the rebels though he would not leave the country, and his son, Saif al-Islam, has said Gadhafi would step down if that is what the people of Libya want.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
