Libya: Gaddafi offers talks with Nato

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News 30 April 2011

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has called for a ceasefire and talks with Nato to stop the coalition's air strikes against his country.

The Western alliance is acting under a UN mandate to protect civilians amid an uprising against Col Gaddafi's rule.

Previous Libyan offers of ceasefires have either not been implemented or have been quickly broken.

In a TV speech, Col Gaddafi said he would not be forced from Libya - a key condition of rebels leading the revolt.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13247399

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This is today - not old news. Posted just as BBC entered it as being new.

[DetlefK]

1. If Gaddafi goes first with an unilateral 36h cease-fire...

Not just declaring it and then shooting at rebels in "self-defence".

36 hours without any aggression or offensive troop movements, confirmed by rebels and/or NATO. That would be a starter.

[Bosonic]

2. Libyan rebels reject Gaddafi ceasefire offer (predictably)

BENGHAZI, Libya, April 30 (Reuters) - Libyan rebels on Saturday rejected Muammar Gaddafi's offer for a ceasefire and negotiations if NATO stopped its attacks, saying the time for compromise had passed.

'Gaddafi's regime has lost all credibility,' Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, spokesman for the rebel's transitional national council, said in a statement.

http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2011-04/20092192-libyan-rebels-reject-gaddafi-ceasefire-offer-020.htm?utm_source=WorldTradeNews&utm_medium=twitter

[dipsydoodle]

3. spokesman for the rebel's transitional national council

who never had any credibility in the first place.

Abdel Hafiz Ghoga aka Wayne Kerr.

[pampango]

4. "...even as he made the offer he appeared to dismiss the possibility..."

"The Libyan leader, who has ruled for more than four decades, said he would negotiate and uphold a ceasefire if NATO “stopped its planes.” But even as he made the offer he appeared to dismiss the possibility, describing his enemies as al-Qaeda operatives who did not understand what a truce meant.

On Friday evening, the Libyan government threatened to attack ships carrying humanitarian aid into Misurata, on the same day that NATO said it had intercepted Libyan government vessels trying to lay anti-ship mines in the harbor.

Libya’s government says the port, which it has repeatedly shelled, is also being used by the rebels to deliver arms and “terrorists” to Misurata, but NATO described the attempt to lay mines as Gaddafi “trying to completely ignore humanitarian law.”

Hundreds of people have died in the siege of Misurata from indiscriminate government shelling of residential areas. On Friday, the Libyan army used tanks to fire on the city, killing 15 people and wounding more than 50 more, said Aiman Abu Shahma, a member of the city’s medical council."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/gaddafi-calls-for-ceasefire-as-nato-strikes-tripoli/2011/04/30/AFWPndKF_story.html

[joshcryer]

5. Yeah, Gaddafi, offering cease fires and elections and amnesty to terrorists!

Westerners are so easy to consume Gaddafi propaganda without using one iota of common sense. :rofl:

[DCBob]

6. this may be significant.

hope so.

[joshcryer]

7. Every time he loses ground he does this.

This is not significant. He offered a cease fire when his guys pulled back, they gained ground, he offered a cease fire when the rebels retook Ajdabiya, he pulled back, offered it again. He lost Misrata and now he's offering yet another "weekly" cease fire.

As another poster said, he'd need to have 36+ hours of non-hostile action before it could be believed at this point. And Gaddafi isn't going to do that because 36+ hours is a lot of time to mobilize and prepare.

[DCBob]

8. You are probably right.. but at some point even wacko dictators can finally break..

Back just before the Iraq war started I think Saddam was sincere about making a deal but the Bush admin wanted nothing to do with it.

[tabatha]

10. I agree with that one.

Bush/Cheney was so determined to invade Iraq that they ignored anything Saddam did.

Gaddafi, however, in my opinion, is a different kettle of fish.

[tabatha]

9. Possibly because of this

Tanbrit‎ RT @ChangeInLibya: Brega: AJA analyst: Gaddafi forces (roughly 3000) are currently surrounded, and they have no supplies. They will surrender soon. #libya
Twitter - seconds ago

Scoobydoo007‎ RT @RRowleyTucson: #Brega has become a military stronghold for #Gaddafi in eastern #Libya. Civilians had already fled to the east. #feb17
Twitter - seconds ago