Libya ‘to be offered truce plan’

Western and Arab diplomats will draw up a plan to end hostilities in Libya which will be presented to Col Muammar Gaddafi, Italy’s foreign minister says.

Speaking at a meeting of the Libya Contact Group, Franco Frattini said members had also agreed to recognise the rebel National Transitional Council as the legitimate authority in Libya.

He said that would leave Col Gaddafi “no other option” but to leave power.

Many contact group members have already individually recognised the NTC.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, and UK Foreign Secretary William Hague are among those representing more than 30 countries at the contact group meeting in Istanbul, Turkey.

The fourth gathering of the group since March has been called to consider the next phase in the campaign in Libya.

Mr Frattini said the UN special envoy to Libya, Abdul Elah al-Khatib, would take the contact group’s proposals to the Libyan leadership, and negotiate on their behalf.

“This political package is a political offer, including a ceasefire,” he said.

Mr Frattini said Mr Khatib would be the only official allowed to negotiate.

‘After Gaddafi’

A senior US official travelling with Mrs Clinton was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: “Countries are starting to look past Gaddafi.

“He’s going to go, and the meeting can be a useful place to take stock of and prepare for that transition.”

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Reports that rebels have cut an oil pipeline have given leaders pause for thought

The meeting is expected to explore measures to increase the pressure on the Libyan regime, such as constraining government broadcasting. It will also look at a report on the Libyan opposition NTC’s plans for progress to democracy.

Representatives of the Benghazi-based NTC will be at the meeting, but invitations to China and Russia were both declined.

Fuel crisis

The conflict in Libya appears to be in a protracted stalemate. Rebels are holding eastern Libya and pockets in the west.

Col Gaddafi remains entrenched in the capital Tripoli, despite a Nato bombing campaign of more than 6,000 sorties against regime forces.

International sanctions have also been imposed and international arrest warrants issued against leading figures in the Libyan regime.

In Tripoli, Col Gaddafi’s government has been holding crisis talks over the supply of fuel to the country.

After the meeting Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi signalled the end of Italy’s 30bn-euro (£26bn) investment in the country and called on new partners to join them in the exploration and refining of crude oil.

In the capital, the queues at the petrol pumps now stretch over a mile. It is being reported that a key pipeline to the city has been cut by the rebels.