‘US wooing Gaddafi to give up power’

The US administration has promised to secure a safe haven for embattled Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi if he agrees to step down and hand power over to the opposition.

A US delegation that has met with Libyan officials has reportedly offered Gaddafi guarantees that he will not be prosecuted if he relinquishes power, said a Libyan official, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Wednesday.

The unidentified official, described as “close” to the negotiations with the US, said, “The US delegation expressed clear readiness to go ahead and find a place or a country prepared to host Gaddafi, along with offering him guarantees that he will not be tracked down for prosecution.”

According to the newspaper, the talks were held Saturday in Tunisia and were attended by Bashir Saleh, the director of Gaddafi’s office.