Gaddafi aide in Greece to discuss ceasefire?
Monday, 4 April 2011
ATHENS - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has despatched a trusted adviser to Greece for talks that could signal the Libyan leader's readiness to stand down.
Mr Abdulati Al Obeidi, who has emerged as the Libyan regime's acting Foreign Minister after the defection to London last week of Moussa Koussa, met Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Athens last night.
Mr Obeidi is the first senior envoy sent by Col Gaddafi since the international coalition started to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. Greek officials said Mr Obeidi - who recently was said to be close to defection himself - was carrying a message from Col Gaddafi. The trip raised the prospect that the Libyan leader would be willing to seek a ceasefire and to acknowledge international demands for his removal.
Mr Papandreou's office said he was meeting Mr Obeidi at the request of the Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Ali Al Mahmudi.
"It seems that the Libyan authorities are seeking a solution," Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas told reporters.
Reports suggested Mr Obeidi had travelled to Tunisia with Mr Koussa last week, but stopped short of fleeing to Britain with his boss. There is said to be a growing realisation within the Gaddafi regime that international isolation will inflict a grim toll on Tripoli.
Mr Obeidi, a heavyweight in Col Gaddafi's shrinking group of advisers, appears to believe that a package of reforms and transition to a new type of leadership, even a new leader, can be worked out.
Some Libyan officials privately acknowledge this would see the removal of Col Gaddafi - with internal exile in the desert one possible proposal. Last night it was reported that his reformist son Saif Al Islam had proposed that Libya could transfer to democracy under his stewardship.
British officials played down the significance of the Athens meeting, noting that the Libyan leader had already declared two ceasefires in recent weeks, only to break them.
Said a British diplomatic source: "We will judge them on his actions, not their words. We are not getting too excited about someone flying to Greece." AGENCIES
Mr Abdulati Al Obeidi, who has emerged as the Libyan regime's acting Foreign Minister after the defection to London last week of Moussa Koussa, met Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Athens last night.
Mr Obeidi is the first senior envoy sent by Col Gaddafi since the international coalition started to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya. Greek officials said Mr Obeidi - who recently was said to be close to defection himself - was carrying a message from Col Gaddafi. The trip raised the prospect that the Libyan leader would be willing to seek a ceasefire and to acknowledge international demands for his removal.
Mr Papandreou's office said he was meeting Mr Obeidi at the request of the Libyan Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Ali Al Mahmudi.
"It seems that the Libyan authorities are seeking a solution," Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas told reporters.
Reports suggested Mr Obeidi had travelled to Tunisia with Mr Koussa last week, but stopped short of fleeing to Britain with his boss. There is said to be a growing realisation within the Gaddafi regime that international isolation will inflict a grim toll on Tripoli.
Mr Obeidi, a heavyweight in Col Gaddafi's shrinking group of advisers, appears to believe that a package of reforms and transition to a new type of leadership, even a new leader, can be worked out.
Some Libyan officials privately acknowledge this would see the removal of Col Gaddafi - with internal exile in the desert one possible proposal. Last night it was reported that his reformist son Saif Al Islam had proposed that Libya could transfer to democracy under his stewardship.
British officials played down the significance of the Athens meeting, noting that the Libyan leader had already declared two ceasefires in recent weeks, only to break them.
Said a British diplomatic source: "We will judge them on his actions, not their words. We are not getting too excited about someone flying to Greece." AGENCIES
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