Britain not eyeing 'exit strategy' for Qaddafi

LONDON: Britain is not pursuing an exit strategy for Muammar Qaddafi, Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said on Monday as the Libyan leader's envoy toured capitals discussing a solution to the crisis.

Qaddafi's Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Laabidi was to travel to Turkey and Malta on Monday.

He has already been in Athens, where "according to what the Libyan envoy said the regime seems to be looking for a solution," Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said.

Cameron's spokesman said the British government's position on Qaddafi was clear.

"There have been lots of reports of envoys and of the regime reaching out in a number of ways," he told reporters.

"We have been very clear throughout about what the next step should be and that needs to be a genuine ceasefire and an end to violence.An exit strategy for Qaddafi is not something we are involved in pursuing," he added.

Britain has said Qaddafi must leave power and wants to see him face the International Criminal Court.

Asked about whether Britain thought members of Qaddafi's family should play no role in Libya's future, the spokesman replied: "We've been very clear about Qaddafi.

"All I would say on other members of that regime is that ultimately the judge of what is a suitable government needs to be the Libyan people. If you're thinking about potential figures in a transitional government, it seems to me those people need to be acceptable to the Libyan people," he added.

Meanwhile Foreign Office officials were to hold talks Monday with Scottish prosecutors and police over former Libyan intelligence chief Mussa Kussa, who fled to Britain last week and deserted his post as Libyan foreign minister.

The prosecutors want to speak to him about the Lockerbie bombing, Britain's worst terror attack.

Libyan agent Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi is the only man convicted over the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in December 1988, which killed 270 people.

Kussa "remains at a safe location and is continuing his discussions with Foreign Office officials", Cameron's spokesman said.

The British government stands ready to assist the Scottish authorities "in any way we can", he added.