REBELS fighting to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi have rejected an offer from the Libyan leader to negotiate his exit even as they battled to hang on to early gains in the insurrection.
The front line in east Libya was static yesterday, with forces loyal to Gaddafi and rebels manning defences in a stretch of barren coastline near oil terminals between the towns of Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad, about 550km east of Tripoli.
On the international front, Britain and France led a drive at the United Nations for a no-fly zone over Libya, a move that would prevent Gaddafi from unleashing air raids on the rebels or from flying in reinforcements.
But the US government resisted pressure from some US lawmakers for direct intervention, saying it first wanted to figure out what military options could achieve.
The Libyan uprising is the bloodiest of a tide of pro-democracy protests against autocratic rulers and monarchs in North Africa and Middle East which has already seen the longtime leaders of Tunisia and Egypt dethroned this year.
The phenomenon has left the West struggling to formulate a new direction for a region that sits on vast reserves of oil and where stability was until now the political priority.
A spokesman for the rebel National Libyan Council said it had spurned an overture from Gaddafi's camp for talks on him relinquishing power.
"We are not negotiating with someone who spilled Libyan blood and continues to do so. Why would we trust the guy today?" spokesperson Mustafa Gheriani told Reuters.
Al Jazeera television reported that the council said it might not pursue Gaddafi, who has ruled for 41 years, for crimes they accuse him of committing if he steps down.
It was impossible to discern if the offer from Gaddafi, who had earlier vowed victory or death, was sincere or a tactic to play for time and confuse rebel strategists.
But the rebels' momentum appears to have stalled as Gaddafi's troops pushed back using war planes, tanks and heavy weapons.
Rebels reject Gaddafi plan
REBELS fighting to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi have rejected an offer from the Libyan leader to negotiate his exit even as they battled to hang on to early gains in the insurrection.
The front line in east Libya was static yesterday, with forces loyal to Gaddafi and rebels manning defences in a stretch of barren coastline near oil terminals between the towns of Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad, about 550km east of Tripoli.
On the international front, Britain and France led a drive at the United Nations for a no-fly zone over Libya, a move that would prevent Gaddafi from unleashing air raids on the rebels or from flying in reinforcements.
But the US government resisted pressure from some US lawmakers for direct intervention, saying it first wanted to figure out what military options could achieve.
The Libyan uprising is the bloodiest of a tide of pro-democracy protests against autocratic rulers and monarchs in North Africa and Middle East which has already seen the longtime leaders of Tunisia and Egypt dethroned this year.
The phenomenon has left the West struggling to formulate a new direction for a region that sits on vast reserves of oil and where stability was until now the political priority.
A spokesman for the rebel National Libyan Council said it had spurned an overture from Gaddafi's camp for talks on him relinquishing power.
"We are not negotiating with someone who spilled Libyan blood and continues to do so. Why would we trust the guy today?" spokesperson Mustafa Gheriani told Reuters.
Al Jazeera television reported that the council said it might not pursue Gaddafi, who has ruled for 41 years, for crimes they accuse him of committing if he steps down.
It was impossible to discern if the offer from Gaddafi, who had earlier vowed victory or death, was sincere or a tactic to play for time and confuse rebel strategists.
But the rebels' momentum appears to have stalled as Gaddafi's troops pushed back using war planes, tanks and heavy weapons.
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