Gaddafi son Saif 'is no solution'

Britain today dismissed suggestions that Colonel Gaddafi could hand control of Libya to his London-educated son Saif.

As the dictator appeared to be looking for a negotiated way out of the conflict in his country, government sources said putting Saif in charge would be "very tricky".

He has been mooted as an interim leader but the sources said: "He is not an obvious unity figure. We can't see him being acceptable to the Libyan opposition groups".

Gaddafi sent an envoy to Europe as a possible way out of his stand-off with the international community. Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi held talks with Greek prime minister George Papandreou last night and is expected to visit Turkey and Malta. Greek foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas said: "From the envoy's comments it appears that the regime is seeking a solution."

In Libya, a British diplomatic team was meeting with the rebel interim national council in their stronghold of Benghazi. Fighting continued on the outskirts of Brega, a key oil town which has changed hands several times over the past month and is the frontline in the west of the country.

A ship chartered by Turkey carrying injures rebel fighters from Misrata, their last major outpost in western Libya, docked in Benghazi to pick up more wounded. It will sail to Cesme in Turkey where hospitals were preparing for their arrival.