France is growing impatient with the lack of progress on reaching a political solution to the crisis in Libya, but officials denied Paris is in talks with Qadhafi's government or could consider him not quitting power. Remarks by Defence Minister Gerard Longuet saying rebels should start direct negotiations with Qadhafi's camp, and a report that Paris was talking to the Libyan leader, pointed to a growing restlessness in Paris about the stalemate.
But French officials denied any shift in position and said Paris had merely sent messages to Tripoli via intermediaries making clear the Libyan leader must relinquish power and withdraw his troops to enable a political solution. "There are no direct negotiations between France and the Qadhafi regime, but we pass messages through the rebel council(TNC) and our allies," foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said, asked about comments by Saif al-Islam, one of Qadhafi's sons, saying Tripoli was in talks with the French government.
"France wants a political solution, like we have always said," Valero said in an online media briefing. "There is no change of course in the French position," a defence ministry source said, asked about Longuet's remarks. Concerned about the mounting cost of the military campaign and the prospect of it running on into the start of a 2012 election campaign, France wants the opposition rebels it is supporting to do more to help end the conflict, as it struggles to make headway in its own dialogue with Qadhafi's camp.
Diplomatic sources close to the matter said envoys from Paris and Tripoli have met in Paris, Brussels and Tunisia in recent weeks, but have made little progress. One said talks in Paris last month between Sarkozy and a Qadhafi aide fell through in minutes when the envoy talked of Qadhafi staying until elections.