http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/rebels-reject-talks-unless-gaddafi-goes
Rebels reject talks unless Gaddafi goes Published 4 March 2011 Rebels in eastern Libya have said they will not negotiate unless Col. Muammar Gaddafi quits and goes into exile; the National Libyan Council in the city of Benghazi also called again for foreign intervention to stop government air raids against the rebels; the International Criminal Court meanwhile said it would investigate Col. Gaddafi and some of his sons for crimes against humanity; President Barack Obama repeated his demand that the embattled ruler resign http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/standard/ libya-op-flag-1.jpg The pre-revolution Libyan flag sees a revival // Source: worldbulletin.net In Benghazi, the opposition National Libyan Council said there was no room for talks, following reports that Col. Gaddafi had ordered an intelligence chief to negotiate with the rebels. The council is led by former Libyan Interior Minister Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, who defected last month. "If there is any negotiation it will be on one single thing - how Gaddafi is going to leave the country or step down so we can save lives. There is nothing else to negotiate," Ahmed Jabreel, a spokesman for Abdel-Jalil, told Reuters news agency. Fox News reports <http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/03/obama-qaddafi-lost-legitimacy-le ave/> that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez may disrupt U.S. and international ambitions by offering to negotiate a way to salvage Qaddafi's regime through mediation between the Libyan dictator and the rebel National Libyan Council. Venezuela's Information Minister Andres Izzara told Reuters that Libya had accepted a proposal "to work for a negotiated end to the conflict accompanied by an international commission." Izzara said Venezuela will discuss "formulas for peace in Libya" with Arab allies. The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Benghazi reports <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12643311> it appears that neither side has the capacity to move large amounts of manpower or firepower over vast expanses of desert. He says that raises the grim prospect of a military stalemate and a political vacuum after the revolt that began in the east of the country in mid-February. Meaningful talks would be difficult because Gaddafi's only aim is to remain in power and the rebels' goal is to end his 41-year of rule. At the beleaguered ruler's stronghold in the capital Tripoli, some residents have called for new protests to be held on Friday after weekly Muslim prayers. Gaddafi's security forces have reportedly carried out a wave of arrests, killings and disappearances in the city in recent days. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama repeatedly called on Gaddafi to quit during a White House news conference on Thursday. "Going forward, we will continue to send a clear message: the violence must stop," he said. "Muammar Gaddafi has lost legitimacy to lead and he must leave." The president also announced he has authorized the use of U.S. military aircraft to help repatriate tens of thousands of migrant workers. Some 200,000 migrant workers have now fled Libya, into Egypt, Tunisia, and Niger, says the International Organization for Migration. Asked whether he supported a no-fly zone being established over Libya - a key demand of the opposition - Obama said he was examining all options. The BBC reports <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12643311> that the rebels, a mixture of citizen militias and army defectors, have been securing the key port of Brega, home to the country's second largest oil facility. The government launched a new air strike on Thursday at Brega, but missed its oil refinery target and no casualties were reported. Amid reports that Gaddafi has recruited several hundred mercenaries from Mali, opposition forces in Brega are bracing for any fresh ground attacks. Gaddafi loyalists have withdrawn west to another oil port, Ras Lanouf, following their defeat on Wednesday by the opposition. The rebels, armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, have been holding funerals for some of the fourteen fighters killed in Wednesday's battle. The major western rebel-held cities of Zawiya and Misrata have also repelled attacks by Gaddafi loyalists. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, said Gaddafi and his inner circle were under its spotlight. The court has identified at least nine incidents that could constitute crimes against humanity, including the alleged killing of 257 people in Benghazi last month. "During the coming weeks, the office will investigate who are the most responsible for the most serious incidents, for the most serious crimes committed in Libya," he said. Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told the BBC the case was "close to a joke", built purely on media reports. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, discuss-os...@yahoogroups.com. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor biso...@intellnet.org http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: osint-subscr...@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: osint-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. 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