Qaddafi 'In Talks With Rebels'

The Daily Telegraph reports:

The Gaddafi regime has opened direct negotiations with the opposition for the first time, it was claimed yesterday as Nato bombing hit new sites in the capital, Tripoli.

The surprise announcement came as Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif-al Islam said the best way to end the bloody four-month crisis was to hold elections later this year.

Mikhail Margelov, personal envoy of Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, said discussions were held in Paris between representatives of the Tripoli government and the Benghazi-based rebels.

He said he had been told of the "direct contacts" by Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, Libya's Prime Minister, at a meeting in the Libyan capital. He did not give details.

The talks, which would breach rebel demands that Col Gaddafi stand down before negotiations begin, were not confirmed by the opposition Transitional National Council.

The British Foreign Office also said it had not heard of any such talks, while the French foreign ministry could not confirm if the meeting took place.