Efforts to find a deal to end the civil war in Libya intensified today, with a UN special envoy heading for Tripoli and Western powers signalling that Muammar Gadafy could stay in the country if he gives up power.
UN envoy Abdul Elah al-Khatib, who visited the rebels in Benghazi yesterday, is looking for a "political process" that will end a war that has failed to dislodge Col Gadafy despite months of rebel attacks backed by Nato bombing raids.
France and other Western members of the anti-Gadafy coalition have signalled that the Libyan leader could stay in the country provided he and his circle agree to step down.
A rebel leader this week appeared to endorse this view, which would mark a major shift in policy as previous demands have insisted that Col Gadafy must leave the country.
Deadlines are approaching for the Nato-led alliance, whose mandate for military action expires on September 27th. Hopes have also been expressed that some agreement could be reached before the holy month of Ramadan begins at the start of August.
Britain and France, two of the main backers of the campaign to end Col Gadafy's four decades in charge of the North African oil-producing nation, held talks in London at which they called once more for Col Gadafy to leave power.
British foreign secretary William Hague and his French counterpart Alain Juppe also said that it was up to the Libyan people to decide their own future.
British officials said there had been no change of policy direction, but the comments were interpreted as tacit backing for the proposal that Col Gadafy can remain in Libya after quitting.
"Gadafy must leave power," Mr Hague told reporters yesterday evening. "The best way of showing the Libyan people they need no longer be in fear of Gadafy would be for him to leave Libya.
"So that very much remains our position, but it's also very clear that whatever is settled is a settlement which the Libyan people are happy with. It's for them to determine their future, not for those outside to try to lay down that future."
Mr Juppe, who has already endorsed the idea of Col Gadafy remaining in Libya after leaving power, added: "As far as we are concerned, Gadafy should renounce any kind of power in Libya and he must commit himself to not play any kind of role."
"Gadafy is going to have to abandon power and then it will be for the Libyan people to decide what their future will be," Juppe said.
Col Gadafy has supported talks with the rebels and with the West. But while he has made clear he backs the idea of his remaining in Libya, he has shown no sign in public of agreeing to the other part of the deal -- stepping down from power.
While rebel forces have been unable to move decisively against Col Gadafy, they have accused neighbouring Algeria of bolstering his troops by turning a blind eye to an arms shipment. Algeria denied it had allowed the weapons to be offloaded at an Algerian port.
In his talks with the Benghazi-based rebel leadership council, Mr Khatib, the UN envoy, discussed ideas for ending the war but said a firm initiative had yet to take shape.
With a diplomatic push to end the conflict gathering steam, Mr Khatib said he would canvass government views in Tripoli today.
"We did not put a plan in front of them. We discussed the views and ideas on how we can trigger a political process ... to achieve a political solution," he said.
Libyan officials said they expected the Tripoli talks, with senior Col Gadafy aides, would cover peace negotiations. But they also wanted to focus on civilian casualties and a desire to urge Nato to stop its air strikes.
Nato has continued to hammer Col Gadafy forces around Libya, striking twice in central Tripoli yesterday, and Britain has said there would be no let-up during Ramadan.
But hopes have grown for a negotiated end to a war that has dragged on longer than many initially expected.
Speaking after meeting Mr Khatib, senior rebel official Mahmoud Jibril said he had underlined that the rebels would not accept any initiative that did not involve the removal of Col Gadafy from power as a first step to peace.
Mr Khatib, a senior Jordanian politician, has said his ideas involve an agreement on a ceasefire and, simultaneously, on setting up a mechanism to manage the transitional period. He has not given details.
"So far, there is no initiative. He is trying to propose some general ideas, see what is acceptable and what is not acceptable, and on the basis of that he can propose an initiative," Mr Jibreel said.
The rebel leaders have given conflicting signals in recent weeks over whether they would allow Col Gadafy and his family to stay in Libya as part of a deal, providing he gave up power.
In the latest comment on the issue, opposition leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil told the Wall Street Journal that it would be acceptable.
"Gadafy can stay in Libya but it will have conditions," he said. "We will decide where he stays and who watches him. The same conditions will apply to his family."
The poorly armed rebels seem unlikely to quickly unseat Col Gadafy. Rebels announced they had almost taken the oil town of Brega, but later said that minefields had slowed their advance.
While rebels in the east received a boost this week when Turkey delivered its first cargo of fuel under a multi-million dollar supply deal, a government rocket attack has cut fuel supplies in the frontline western town of Misrata.
Reuters