South Africa's Zuma Brokers Possible Deal With Gaddafi

South Africa's president Jacob Zuma had brokered a possible truce between Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi and Libya's opposing rebel forces. But the deal insisted Gaddafi would order his troops back to the barracks only if he was assured his power would remain. This was unacceptable to Libya's rebel forces.

Zuma flew into Tripoli on 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...

Glenn Williams hosts Eye On The World, a weekly look at foreign affairs with Scoop's Selwyn Manning.

This week The Middle East and North Africa theatres of war continue to see fighting between pro-Gaddafi ground forces and Libya's rebels, while aerial attacks, coalition special forces and US psy-ops teams continue to target Gaddafi's troops.

But South Africa's president Jacob Zuma has entered the theatre, on the diplomacy front. What does this mean for Gaddafi's regime, and for those fighting for liberty in Libya?

Eye On The World broadcasts on KiwiFM and Radio Wammo at 7:40am on Tuesdays. Video on demand episodes also webcast on Scoop.co.nz.

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