Libya crisis: Colonel Gaddafi vows to fight on, as countries rally round NTC ~ Imo Herald

Saif al-Islam, the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, gestures as he speaks to reporters in Tripoli August 23, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Paul Hackett

(BBC) - Libya's fugitive ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi says he will continue to fight his enemies, in an audio message carried by a loyalist TV channel.

"The Libyan people cannot kneel, cannot surrender, we are not women," he said in the message on the al-Rai channel.

Anti-Gaddafi forces encircling the city of Sirte have given loyalists an extra week to negotiate their surrender.

Meanwhile, Western leaders have urged the interim authorities to engage in reconciliation with their enemies.

Delegates from 63 countries met to discuss Libya in Paris, on the 42nd anniversary of Col Gaddafi's emergence as the leader of the coup that overthrew King Idris.

Analysis Jon Leyne (BBC), Benghazi
"It's a familiar message of defiance from Col Gaddafi. Reassuringly familiar, perhaps, for his loyalists besieged in the city of Sirte and other loyalist strongholds. His message will be viewed with disdain by the opposition leadership, and by their allies outside the country. But it could put new heart into the resistance of his supporters, and that is most unwelcome to the opposition and the vast majority of Libyans. The opposition leadership will also be disappointed that Col Gaddafi has television and radio stations loyal to him, and is able to put out his message through them. But the good news for the opposition is that Col Gaddafi has not disappeared and gone to ground. They believe they have a good idea where he is - probably in the area around Bani Walid, south-east of Tripoli. And that makes it all the more likely that sooner or later he will be captured or killed."

Analysis
Jon Leyne (BBC), Benghazi

"It's a familiar message of defiance from Col Gaddafi. Reassuringly familiar, perhaps, for his loyalists besieged in the city of Sirte and other loyalist strongholds.

His message will be viewed with disdain by the opposition leadership, and by their allies outside the country. But it could put new heart into the resistance of his supporters, and that is most unwelcome to the opposition and the vast majority of Libyans.

The opposition leadership will also be disappointed that Col Gaddafi has television and radio stations loyal to him, and is able to put out his message through them.

But the good news for the opposition is that Col Gaddafi has not disappeared and gone to ground. They believe they have a good idea where he is - probably in the area around Bani Walid, south-east of Tripoli. And that makes it all the more likely that sooner or later he will be captured or killed."

The colonel has not been seen in public for months, and it is not known where he is hiding.

Syria-based al-Rai broadcast an audio message from the colonel lasting about 10 minutes.

"People are fighting colonialism," he said.

"There must be huge sacrifices for the sake of freedom, the traitors will come to an end and Nato now will collapse, and the traitors' loyalty to Nato will collapse."

The message ended abruptly and patriotic music faded in.

Algeria refuge

Al-Rai, based in Damascus, has repeatedly broadcast propaganda messages from the Gaddafis.

On Wednesday, it broadcast an audio message from the colonel's son Saif al-Islam, who also pledged to fight on.

But another son, Saadi, said in a message played on a different channel that he was negotiating with the rebels to avoid bloodshed.

Correspondents say the Gaddafi inner circle appears to be divided, as forces loyal to the transitional government (NTC) close in on the last remaining towns and cities loyal to him.

Earlier in the week Col Gaddafi's wife, two of his sons and his daughter fled to neighbouring Algeria.

And Algerian media reported that Col Gaddafi had also tried to seek refuge there.

According to a report in El Watan newspaper, the colonel tried to speak to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from the desert town of Ghadamis, just on the Libyan side of the border, but the Algerian leader refused to take the telephone call.

Anti-Gaddafi forces have encircled the city of Sirte - the colonel's birthplace and the home of his tribe.

They had threatened to launch a full military assault if Gaddafi loyalists had not surrendered by Saturday, but officials say they will allow another week to negotiate a peaceful settlement.

The NTC controls most of the country, after a dramatic assault on Tripoli last week in which the capital fell after an operation co-ordinated with Nato air strikes.

Assets unfrozen

Meanwhile, members of the NTC met senior international diplomats at the Paris summit, hosted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron.

The two leaders said all of the countries involved had agreed to unfreeze Libyan assets and support the NTC.

The EU announced on Thursday that it had lifted sanctions on 28 entities - including oil firms and port authorities - to help the NTC get the economy moving again. The decision will take effect on Friday.

The UK, US and France have unfrozen more than $5bn (£3bn) in Libyan assets this week, and other countries are making similar moves.

On the diplomatic front, Russia is the latest nation to agree to recognise the NTC as Libya's legitimate government.

About 60 countries attended the "Friends of Libya" forum in Paris on Thursday afternoon, along with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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