AFRICAN UNION leaders are due to arrive in Tripoli today in a last-ditch attempt to broker a diplomatic end to the fighting in Libya.
This is in advance of a sharp escalation expected this week, when British and French attack helicopters join the fray.
South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma will meet Col Muammar Gadafy, who has so far defied efforts to force him to yield to western-backed pro-democracy rebels. It is unclear whether Mr Zuma will use his rapport with Gadafy to ask him to leave Libya.
Even a personal appeal seems unlikely to succeed, since Gadafy has told confidantes that it would betray the memory of his son to surrender power, instead wanting to assume a background role while civil institutions are allowed to emerge from his four-decade rule.
However, Britain and France, which are spearheading the strikes on Libya, have insisted that Gadafy leave, paving the way for the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council to hold elections.
The other members of the G8, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US, also called on Friday for Gadafy to step down.
Moustafa Adul Jalil, chair of the transitional council in Benghazi, said: “The only condition for holding talks of resolving the crisis is that Gadafy, his inner circle and his family have no future in the political arena of Libya and they must leave. We only welcome the proposition regarding the ceasefire and peace settlement based on this condition.”
The arrival of attack helicopters off the Libyan coast has left Gadafy loyalists fearing an onslaught on ground forces that could clear the way for rebels in central Libya to advance on the capital.
The helicopters are expected to first be deployed on the outskirts of Misurata, which has been the scene of the most protracted and vicious fighting over the past three months.
Nato bombing raids have cleared the way for an untrained rebel army to seize most of Misurata. However, Gadafy’s forces remain on the western outskirts of the city, from where they are still shelling rebel positions to the east.
Tripoli was again hit by bombs dropped from Nato jets over the weekend, with Gadafy’s compound in the centre of the capital struck repeatedly.
– (Guardian service)