Government spokesperson<\/span><\/div>\nLibyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim hailed the talks as an important step in “repairing relations” with the US.<\/p>\n
“We support any dialogue, any peace initiative as long as they don’t decide Libya’s future from without,” he told journalist in Tripoli.<\/p>\n
“We will discuss everything but do not condition your peace talks. Let the Libyans decide their future,” he added.<\/p>\n
Washington said that Jeffrey Feltman, the US assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs, and the US ambassador to Libya Gene Cretz, had been involved in the talks, but would not say who represented the Libyan side.<\/p>\n
American officials said no further talks were planned “because the message has been delivered”.<\/p>\n
US forces have been involved in military action in Libya since the UN in March passed resolution 1973, which permitted intervention to protect Libyan civilians against Col Gaddafi.<\/p>\n
Following the resolution, the US took the lead in the air strikes against Col Gaddafi’s forces.<\/p>\n
Nato later took over – although the US continues to play a support role.<\/p>\n
Nato strikes<\/span><\/p>\nMeanwhile, fighting continues in Brega, where rebels have been trying to push back pro-Gaddafi forces since Thursday, often fighting at close range in residential areas.<\/p>\n
Brega, about 750km (465 miles) east of the capital Tripoli, has changed hands several times in the fighting along Libya’s Mediterranean coast since the rebellion began in February.<\/p>\n
Rebels said they had pushed government forces back to Ras Lanuf, but the government has dismissed the claims outright.<\/p>\n
Correspondents say the fall of Brega would be a major breakthrough for anti-Gaddafi forces. For weeks the Libyan conflict has appeared to be in a protracted stalemate with rebels holding eastern Libya and pockets in the west.<\/p>\n
Nato aircraft have been targeting pro-Gaddafi forces near Brega in recent days, reporting hits on armoured vehicles and rocket launchers near the town, according to Reuters.<\/p>\n
On Monday, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, who has led a mediation mission on behalf of the African Union, said that Libya needed a democratic government.<\/p>\n
But he said that the Libyan people must decide their own destiny, and that if Col Gaddafi goes conditions must be in place as to when, where and how that happens.<\/p>\n
Mr Zuma made his comments during a joint news conference in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, with the visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Russia has refused to recognise the rebel leadership as the legitimate Libyan government, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying such a move amounted to taking sides in a civil war.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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