The regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is 'looking for a solution' to the country's conflict, Greece's foreign minister said after a meeting between the prime minister and a Libyan envoy.
"According to what the Libyan envoy said the regime seems to be looking for a solution," Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas said in a statement.
The envoy, Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelati Laabidi, is to travel on Monday to Turkey and then on to Malta.
His visit to Athens came at the request of Libyan authorities.
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou had spoken with his Libyan counterpart by telephone on Saturday.
"We reiterated the clear message of the international community," said Droutsas' statement. He cited "total compliance with and implementation of the UN resolutions, an immediate ceasefire, an end to the violence and acts of war, notably those targeting the Libyan civilian population".
A Greek government official said that Greece could "play a major role in finding a political solution" to the conflict in the north African country.
The United States agreed to extend air strikes in Libya into Monday as the oil town of Brega saw heavy fighting, with rebel forces advancing only to fall back after an ambush by forces loyal to Gaddafi.
The Pentagon said on Sunday the US air strikes, part of a coalition effort to protect civilians from Gaddafi's forces, would continue through Monday at NATO's request, because of "recent poor weather in Libya".
The US military had planned to begin withdrawing its combat jets and Tomahawk missiles from the air campaign against Libya's regime this weekend, as NATO allies were to take the lead in bombing Gaddafi's forces.
Former foreign minister and UN General Assembly president Ali Treiki meanwhile became the latest official to abandon Gaddafi, after the flight to Britain of foreign minister and regime stalwart Moussa Koussa days earlier.
