Zuma leads AU peace delegation to Libya

An African Union (AU) delegation led by South African president Jacob Zuma has met Libya's Muammar Qaddafi in the country's capital Tripoli in an attempt to broker a ceasefire between the rebels and the embattled Libyan leader. Zuma said that after the meeting on 10 April Qaddafi had accepted a road map for ending the bloody eight-week long conflict in Libya.

A minor official led the delegation to the rebel's eastern base of Benghazi, where rebels said they would consider the AU's plan on condition that Qaddafi stand down. Up until now Qaddafi has rejected the rebels' demand that he relinquish control after four decades in power and there is no direct mention of this in the agreement brokered with Zuma.

Although exact details were not disclosed, the AU commissioner for peace and security, Algeria's Ramtane Lamamra, said the plan includes an immediate truce and talks between the rebels and Qaddafi's government. However he made it clear that it was not up to the AU to dictate who should lead the country and that this was for the Libyan people to decide.

In February 2009 Qaddafi replaced Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete as AU chairman which caused a mixed reaction among the other 52 member states. However Qaddafi was quick to take advantage of the increased diplomatic channels offered to him by the role and made friends with many other African leaders during his one-year tenure in office.