TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Muammar Gaddafi is sounding out the possibility of handing over power, a Russian newspaper said on Tuesday, but the Libyan government denied it was in talks about the veteran leader stepping down.

Five months into a conflict that has embroiled NATO and become the bloodiest of the “Arab Spring” uprisings, there has been a flurry of reports about talks on Gaddafi ending his 41 years in power in exchange for security guarantees.

TRIPOLI, July 4 (Reuters) – The Libyan government said on
Monday it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed
little chance of a swift end to the conflict as both sides stuck
to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.

The leader’s son Saif al-Islam, in combative form, told a
French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to
his father’s 42-year rule, while the rebels, stepping back from
a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – The Libyan government said on Monday that it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed little chance of a swift end to the civil war as both sides stuck to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.

The leader’s son Saif al-Islam, in combative form, told a French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to his father’s 42-year rule, while the rebels, stepping back from a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) – The Libyan government said on Monday that it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed little chance of a swift end to the civil war as both sides stuck to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.

The leader’s son Saif al-Islam, in combative form, told a French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to his father’s 42-year rule, while the rebels, stepping back from a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.

MADRID/TRIPOLI, July 3 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped up Western calls on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit, brushing off his threat to attack Europeans in their homes and offices.

“Instead of issuing threats, Gaddafi should put the well-being and the interests of his own people first and he should step down from power and help facilitate a democratic transition,” Clinton told reporters on a trip to Spain.

MADRID/TRIPOLI, July 2 (Reuters) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped up Western calls on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to quit, brushing off his threat to attack Europeans in their homes and offices.

“Instead of issuing threats, Gaddafi should put the well-being and the interests of his own people first and he should step down from power and help facilitate a democratic transition,” Clinton told reporters on a trip to Spain.

ALGIERS, June 14 (Reuters) – Algeria’s state-owned
Sonatrach and Spanish utility Gas Natural (GAS.MC: Quote, Profile, Research) said on
Tuesday they have settled a long-running dispute with a deal
that involves the Spanish firm paying $1.897 billion to
Sonatrach.

The Algerian energy firm will also have the opportunity to
acquire a minority stake in Gas Natural as part of the
agreement, which draws a line under a dispute over the prices
Gas Natural pays for Algerian gas imports.

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Al Qaeda’s North African branch is likely to step up its attacks to stake its claim for leadership of the global network after the death of Osama bin Laden, a leading Algerian security specialist said.

Now that bin Laden has been killed by U.S. Navy SEALS in a villa in Pakistan, the different al Qaeda “franchises” will compete for supremacy, said Professor Mhand Berkouk, head of Algeria’s Centre for Strategic and Security Studies.

ALGIERS (Reuters) – Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika will soon release several thousand Islamists from prison to help draw a line under a conflict that killed an estimated 200,000 people, two prominent Islamists told Reuters.

Bouteflika is trying to stop revolts in other Arab countries from spreading to Algeria, and needs to ensure the backing of Islamists, who represent an influential social force.

ALGIERS, April 15 (Reuters) – Algerian President Abdelaziz
Bouteflika promised on Friday to ensure free elections, amend
the constitution and end jailing of journalists — moves aimed
at preventing local unrest turning into a national uprising.

Bouteflika, who had not spoken in public for at least three
months, said he had decided to amend the constitution “to
reinforce representative democracy” in Algeria.