Europe steps up efforts to unblock Libya assets

Dubai: European powers on Wednesday stepped up efforts to return Libya to normalcy with France saying it has asked a UN panel to unblock 1.5 billion euros in Libyan assets frozen in French banks and the EU preparing to lift sanctions on some Libyan companies.

France has asked the UN committee to unblock about one-fifth of the 7.6 billion euros in assets locked in French banks.

Britain has already received approval from the UN Sanctions Committee to release 1.86 billion Libyan dinars ($1.6 billion) of currency.

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These measures come as leaders of Libya's National Transitional Council, including Mustafa Abdul Jalil and Mahmoud Jibril, prepare to join 13 heads of state, 19 prime ministers, and top diplomats, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a major international meeting on Libya to be held in Paris today.

Russia and China were sending high-level diplomats in charge of African affairs: Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Zhai Jun and Russian special envoy for Africa Mikhail Margelov.

The Russian envoy, quoted by Russian news agency Interfax, said Russia would "influence" the process of creating a new Libyan government and "defend Russia's economic and other interests in Libya."

With Gaddafi loyalists still fighting, and his exact whereabouts still unknown, diplomats said they would try to ease the transition process and help prevent lingering violence in Libya.

Son talks of surrender

Meanwhile, the opposition commander in Tripoli said Gaddafi's son Saadi has called him to negotiate the terms of his own surrender.

The commander, Abdul Hakim Belhaj, told AP that Saadi first called him on Tuesday and asked whether his safety could be guaranteed. Belhaj said he told Saadi he would not be harmed but he would be treated according to the law.

Belhaj said Saadi called back again early on Wednesday, but he missed the call.