Gaddafi willing to discuss his exit, Portugese media reports

Portuguese daily newspaper Publico quoted a diplomatic source on Thursday as saying that Gaddafi was open to the idea of negotiations. The report followed a meeting between Portugese foreign minister Luis Amado and Gaddafi’s envoy in Lisbon.

Publico reports that, according to a source, the message had to be taken with caution as it was given in response to Amado's proposals for a cessation of hostilities against the rebels and a peaceful change of power in the north African country.

"The emissary of the Libyan leader told Amado that Tripoli would accept 'to begin a negotiations process for a transition'," Publico reported.

"It is too early, however, to evaluate the real intention of this message and to what extent it is not just a circumstantial declaration ... the message was not presented at the start of the meeting," it added.

The Portuguese Foreign Ministry said the envoy met Amado to explain Tripoli's view of the conflict. Portugal was chosen this week to chair the United Nations Security Council's committee on sanctions.

The ministry however did not name the envoy and did not give further details of the meeting, saying only it was "part of the preparation of the extraordinary meetings of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council and the European Council to be held in the next few days."

A Libyan envoy, Mohamed Tahir Siala, was also due to meet with Greece's deputy foreign minister, Dimitris Dollis, on Thursday as part of a diplomatic drive by Gadhafi ahead of talks by NATO and the European Union on a possible no-fly zone over Libya.