Libya’s government said it is willing to consider reform, but remained adamant that Moammar Gaddafi must remain in power in order to prevent chaos in the country, as witnessed in Iraq and Somalia.

Moussa Ibrahim, a spokesman for the regime, Gaddafi as a unifying figure and a safety valve for the country to remain together.

The leader provides Libyan tribes and Libyan population of a unifying figure, as a unifying figure, he said.

Many Libyans, many Libyans want him to lead the process forward because they are scared if he is not there for any reason we will have what happened in Iraq, we will have what happened in Somalia, we will have what happened in Afghanistan.

Ibrahim suggested Libya could enact reforms, as long as Gaddafi remains in charge.

We could have any political system, any changes: constitution, election, anything, but the leader has to lead this forward. This is our belief, he told reporters.

The spokesman also chastised the western nations, saying that it was outside of their rights to tell Libya that you have to lose your leader or your system or your regime. Don't decide our future from abroad; give us a proposal for change from within.”

Ibrahim added: we think he [Gaddafi] is very important to lead any transition to a democratic and transparent model. The leader has no official position to step down from. ... He has a symbolic significance for the Libyan people. How Libya is governed is a different matter. What kind of political system is implemented in the country is a different matter. This is a question we can talk about.

Ibrahim also asserted that Gaddafi’s soldiers are only targeted armed rebels, not innocent civilians.

We are fighting armed militias, he said. You are not a civilian if you take up arms. We are not attacking any civilians, I assure you. We never in this crisis attacked any civilians. ... I will not stand and speak for a government that kills civilians. Who do you think we are, monsters?

The spokesman also accused the west of seeking to topple Gaddafi in the interests of economic gain.

We know there are some politicians in power in the West who just have a personal problem with the leader ... Others have economic interests which they think would be served better if the government collapsed, he stated.

Meanwhile, rebel groups say they have no interests in Gaddafi’s “peace” overtures and will not negotiate with him.

This war has shown everyone and the world that Gaddafi's sons are no different from him, Iman Bughaigis, a spokeswoman for the opposition told Al Jazeera. They are two sides of the same coin. Gaddafi has been waging a war on our people with the help of his sons' militias and mercenaries, so we see no difference between them. There is no way to negotiate with this regime.

Abdelilah al-Khatib, the United Nation’s special envoy to Libya said that Libyan officials are willing to accept a ceasefire. However, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, the Libyan opposition leader, informed himas a pre-condition to peace talks, Gaddafi must resign leave, his soldiers must withdraw from rebel-held areas and the Libyan people must be allowed to have freedom of expression --terms that Tripoli reportedly rejected.

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