South Africa's Zuma Brokers Possible Ceasefire Deal With Gaddafi
Report – By Selwyn Maning – co-editor, Scoop.co.nz.
South Africa's president Jacob Zuma has brokered a possible truce between Libya's leader Muamar Gaddafi and Libya's opposing rebel forces.
Zuma flew into Tripoli earlier today (Monday NZ time) to hold discussions with Gaddafi. At around 10am (NZ Time) Zuma's
aircraft landed in Malta where he briefed US, UK, France, and NATO representatives of a possible breakthrough in the
Libya crisis.
Communications from Jacob Zuma's South African Air Force Boeing 737 (tail nr ZS-RSA) were intercepted and published to
the internet. The communications suggest the aircraft landed at Luqa International Airport in Malta after leaving
Libya's capital Tripoli this morning.
Zuma's proposal included a African Union-backed “roadmap to peace”.
Details of the agreement are yet to be publicly revealed, but reports suggest Gaddafi had agreed to a ceasefire where
forces loyal to his leadership would stop fighting.
The African Union has also urged NATO forces to stop airstrikes and hostilities against Gaddafi's forces.
Scoop understands representatives of the African Union are heading to the Libya rebel's stronghold of Benghazi to have
talks with leaders. It is expected the talks will begin in haste, through this evening (NZ Time).
Messages emerging from the Libya Youth Movement suggest the rebels will not agree to a deal that allows Gaddafi to
remain in power, and to anything less than he and his family being required to leave Libya for exile in another country.
More to come...