Gadhafi Accepts Peace Plan

African Union bosses meet today with rebel forces
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 11, 2011 1:20 AM CDT
Gadhafi Accepts Peace Plan
A Libyan government tank burns on the outskirts of Ajdabiya in Libya yesterday.   (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Moammar Gadhafi has accepted a peace plan forged by African Union leaders. The proposal involves an immediate ceasefire and launching a dialogue between the Libyan government and rebel forces. There was no mention of a withdrawal of Gadhafi security forces from cities, as the rebels have demanded. "The brother leader's delegation has accepted the road map as presented by us," said South African President Jacob Zuma, who traveled to Tripoli for talks. Meetings between AU leaders and Gadhafi took place hours after NATO air strikes pummeled Libyan government tanks in their drive to the east against opposition fighters.

African Union leaders are meeting today with rebel representatives, and called on NATO to stop air strikes to support a ceasefire, AP reports. Negotiators are confident the rebels will back the plan, but a representative of the opposition told the BBC that rebels won't support any deal that keeps Gadhafi or his sons in power. A regime change "was discussed," but no details were revealed by AU representatives. "It's up to the Libyan people to chose their leaders democratically," said a spokesman. Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, head of the AU, said the current proposal is "broad enough to be a base for the launch of peace talks." (More Libya stories.)

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