Libyan Government Reportedly Accepts Venezuelan Plan to End Conflict

Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez greet sympathizers in Porlamar, Margarita Island, in northwestern Venezuela, on September 28, 2009. (AFP)

March 2: This video image taken from Libyan state television broadcast shows Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi addressing supporters and journalists in Tripoli, Libya. (AP)

The Libyan government accepts a plan by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to seek a negotiated solution to the ongoing conflict in the North African nation, a Chavez spokesman told Reuters.

The Venezuelan plan would involve a commission from Latin America, Europe and the Middle East, along with talks between Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi and opposition forces.

"Libya accepts the proposal to work for a negotiated end to the conflict accompanied by an international commission. Venezuela will continue its contacts in the Arab world and elsewhere to find formulas for peace in Libya," Venezuela's Information Minister Andres Izzara tells Reuters.

A Venezuelan government source tells Reuters they hope Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would lead the international mediation commission.

Al-Jazeera reports that the plan was struck between Qaddafi and Chavez.

Reuters reports that the chairman of the rebel National Libyan Council rejected proposed talks with Qaddafi.

"No one has told us a thing about it and we are not interested anyway. We will never negotiate with him," rebel spokesman Abdul Hafif Goga told The Guardian.

Another member of the committee told the U.K. paper that "talk of peace is far too late" because of the killings.

Venezuela's information minister also confirms to Reuters the Arab League has shown interest in the plan. Arab League President Amr Moussa tells Reuters that the plan is under consideration.

"It is a Venezuelan proposal and sent to us and we are considering it and that is all," Moussa told Reuters

The deal came as more fighting took place at a strategic oil installation in Brega between Qaddafi forces and rebel opposition Thursday.

Government warplanes launched a new airstrike on the town in the morning, according to witnesses. It was not clear what they targeted, but it was likely an airstrip that belongs to the huge oil complex on the Mediterranean coast. There were no reports of casualties.

A Libyan human rights group says 6,000 people have been killed since the conflict began.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.