Libya Welcomes South African President, NATO Intensifies Attacks

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi meets with South African President Jacob Zuma on Monday to discuss an armistice initiative, marking 100 days since the anti-regime revolt began, as NATO intensified its air raids.

Zuma was expected to arrive in Tripoli on Monday to assess, along with Gaddafi, a new cease-fire proposal allowing the supply of humanitarian aid as well as the adoption and implementation of reforms to eliminate the causes of the conflict in Libya.

Libyan state television denied reports informing that Zuma’s visit was aimed at debating an “exit strategy” for Gaddafi to give up his post and leave the country.

The same source explained that Zuma, who hopes to put an end to the uprising, will present a “road map” from the African Union (AU) for achieving peace, even though the NATO leadership, which is meeting on Monday in Bulgaria, promised to intensify the attacks.

On Saturday morning, NATO planes struck a camp occupied by pro-Gaddafi forces and attacked Bani Walid, a town with vital strategic importance as the main stronghold of the powerful Warfalla clan, whose tribal leaders reached a pact with anti-Gaddafi insurgents.

News media supportive of the opposition National Transitional Council reported that nearly 100 community leaders and tribe chiefs expressed support for rebels during a conference in Turkey, where they called for an end to the violence.

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