Ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who is on the run, urged his supporters to keep fighting, even as representatives of Libya's new transitional government met with world leaders to discuss reviving a nation divided by 42 years of one-man rule and 6- by monthly installments.
"If you have to, let it be a long battle. We will fight from place to place, from city to city, from valley to valley, from mountain to mountain," Gaddafi said in a message broadcast by Arab satellite TV channels.
"If Libya erupts, who will be able to rule it? Let it burn. They cannot rule as long as we are armed. We are still armed. We will fight in every valley, every street, every oasis and every city."
"How can we surrender again? Are we wives who submit to our husbands or what are we?'
Gaddafi did not give any indication of his whereabouts in the message.
How do we surrender again? Are we wives who submit to our husbands or what are we?
The fugitive leader was speaking on the anniversary of the 1969 military coup that overthrew King Idris, and he came to power as a 27-year-old captain.
Since his compound in Tripoli was seized by rebels on August 23, there have been conflicting reports of the ousted Libyan leader's whereabouts.
There is still speculation as to where Gaddafi is
A senior commander of the Transitional National Council (TNC) said Gaddafi is in a desert town outside Tripoli, along with his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, where they plan to retaliate against the rebel offensive.
All three fugitives are wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
Abdel Majid Mlegta, the coordinator of military operations in Tripoli, told Reuters that "from someone they trust" they received information that Gaddafi fled to Bani Walid, 150 km southeast of the capital, three days after the fall of Tripoli.
An Algerian newspaper reported that Gaddafi is in the border town of Hadamis and that he tried to call Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to ask him for asylum. Bouteflika reportedly did not want to accept the invitation even though he gave shelter to Gaddafi's wife and three children when they crossed the border on Monday.
An Algerian newspaper reported that Gaddafi was in the border town of Hadamis and that he had tried to call Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to ask him for asylum.
The PNS extended the deadline for pro-Gaddafi forces until next Saturday to surrender the coastal city of Sirte, Gaddafi's birthplace, and other cities under their control.
"This means that progress has been made in the negotiations," said Mohamed Zawawi, PNS spokesman from Benghazi. "We are in no hurry to conquer Sirte. That city has no economic significance for us and we don't want to lose fighters because of it. We can cut off their supplies and wait even longer than a week."
The deadline extension followed a conciliatory performance by Gaddafi's son Saadi.
"We talked about negotiations aimed at ending the bloodshed," Saad told Al Arabija TV and added that his father authorized him to talk to the PNS.
The head of the military council in Tripoli, Abdul Hakim Belhadj, told Reuters on the same day that in a telephone conversation he promised Saad that, if he surrenders, he will be guaranteed human rights and fair treatment.
Everyone wants a share in the contracts with Libya
The war may not be over until Gaddafi is killed or arrested, but the Libyans want to move on.
The country's new leaders met with foreign counterparts in Paris to coordinate political and economic reconstruction. The first three-hour meeting of "Friends of Libya" was focused on political and economic reconstruction. The meeting was also attended by the leaders of NATO, the UN and the EU.
Still, talks on the sidelines revealed an early race for a share of post-war contracts with the wealthy North African oil and gas producer.
The war may not be over until Gaddafi is killed or arrested, but the Libyans want to move on.
Russia symbolically recognized the PNS before the opening of the conference, and Algeria promised to recognize the transitional government that the interim leaders should soon form. In March, Russia abstained when the UN Security Council adopted a resolution authorizing Western military intervention in Libya, but then constantly accused NATO forces of going beyond the scope of the approved mandate to protect civilians and of supporting rebels in the civil war.
Some in Libya are hinting that Tripoli may ignore countries like Russia and China in favor of those that have staunchly backed the intervention such as Britain, France, the US and Qatar.
Russia symbolically recognized the PNS before the opening of the conference, and Algeria promised to recognize the transitional government that the interim leaders should soon form.
China's state-run People's Daily called on the West to let the United Nations lead reconstruction in Libya and said Beijing would defend its economic stake there.
British Foreign Minister William Hague said that he is looking for closer trade relations between Libya and Europe and noted that Britain will not miss its part in the agreements.
"We will not be left out," Hague told reporters before the start of the talks in Paris.
Given the sensitivity among Muslims following Western military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, British Prime Minister David Cameron took pains to emphasize that Libyans hold their destiny in their own hands: "This was not dropped from a NATO plane, this was achieved by the Libyan people. This is their revolution, their change."
Clinton: Give the new government a seat in the UN
American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the conference that the new Libyan government should be given a seat in the UN and that it needs international support: "The work is not finished with the end of a repressive regime," she said. "Victory in war does not guarantee victory in the peace that follows. What happens in the coming days will be crucial."
She called on PNS representatives to strive for reconciliation, not revanchism, adding that the military campaign should continue as long as civilians are threatened, but that UN sanctions should be lifted in a responsible manner.
The PNS is expected to, in its impatience to meet the immediate needs of the citizens, insist that it be granted access as quickly as possible to the billions of dollars of Libyan funds that have been frozen abroad as part of the sanctions imposed on Gaddafi by the UN.
The PNS is expected to, in its impatience to meet the immediate needs of the citizens, insist that it be given access as quickly as possible to the billions of dollars of Libyan funds that have been frozen abroad as part of the sanctions imposed on Gaddafi by the UN.
It could be difficult to carry out reconstruction and convince foreign investors to return to Libya as long as Gaddafi is on the run and the PNS takes full control of the country.
With the overthrow of Gaddafi, the "Friends of Libya" conference in Paris gives the PNS a platform to address the world for the first time. Its president, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, will outline plans for a new constitution, elections within 18 months and ways to avoid any descent into post-war Iraq-style bloodshed.
"We have to help the Transitional National Council because their country is devastated, the humanitarian situation is difficult and they are facing a lack of water, electricity and fuel," said French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.
Libyan officials will remain in Paris today when talks are planned on the details of their reconstruction needs with partners such as USAID.
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