Ruler's son reportedly floats
idea to handover, democracy plan
To all non Libyans out there supporting our cause THANK YOU.#Gadhafi might have money on his side but we have you. THANK YOU.
A PEACE plan under which Muammar Gaddafi would hand over power and set Libya on course to become a constitutional democracy has been privately floated by his son, according to diplomatic sources.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the Colonel's British-educated son, would take control of the country in the interim under plans that he has proposed himself.
The sources said that the idea was being discussed by "eminent people" in Tripoli, although they cautioned that neither Colonel Gaddafi nor the rebel council in Benghazi appeared ready to accept such a move.
"This is the beginning position," they said, but added that there were currently no talks.
The plan, which follows a visit to London last week by Mohammed Ismail, one of Saif Gaddafi's aides, indicates that members of the dictator's inner circle are considering their options.
The revelations came as diplomatic efforts to find a way out of the seven-week conflict escalated.
Abdelati Obeidi, the Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister, arrived in Athens with a message from Colonel Gaddafi.
He was to meet George Papandreou, the Greek Prime Minister, last night.
Britain has sent a diplomatic team to the rebel-held Benghazi as the Government tries to get a better understanding of the opposition.
Italy and Spain have also sent envoys, as has the US.
A spokeswoman for the rebels said that they would be pressing "for more airstrikes, more pressure on Gaddafi for a ceasefire" and for eastern Libya to be exempt from sanctions.
William Hague will today give a statement to parliament, in which he is expected to mount a strong defence of the decision to give shelter to Colonel Gaddafi's former spy chief.
Despite claims that Moussa Koussa organised shipments of Semtex to the IRA in the 1980s and 1990s, Mr Hague said yesterday that he was right to be talking to him, repeating that Mr Koussa had received no amnesty.
The Foreign Secretary said he detected that his counterpart had become "very distressed" about what was happening. "
And when somebody like that says they want to get out then it would be quite wrong to say no," he told BBC One.
London and Washington were at odds over the possible influence of al-Qa'ida in rebel ranks.
Mr Hague said there was no substantial evidence that that was the case.
He said he believed that the rebel council was "sincere" in its wishes for a democratic Libya and urged others to "take them at face value".
However, Congressman Mike Rogers, chairman of the House intelligence committee, echoed warnings that there may be strains of al-Qa'ida among the rebels.
An al-Qa'ida-linked website claimed that Islamic militants formed a significant part of the anti-Gaddafi fighting forces. Pakistani intelligence sources said that al-Qa'ida retained close links with militants in Libya and other North African countries. Many Libyan militants moved to Afghanistan after a failed attempt to overthrow Colonel Gaddafi in 1996.
In the skies above Libya, the US extended by a day its role flying strike missions for the coalition patrolling the no-fly zone.
It will hand over to other coalition aircraft today.
The decision to remove US jets has angered some politicians. Lindsey Graham, the Republican Senator, said: "When we called for a no-fly zone, we didn't mean our planes."
