Moscow - Saif Al Islam Gaddafi, the most prominent son of the former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, should play a role in his country's political life, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was cited as saying on Monday by the RIA news agency.
RIA said that one of Saif's representatives had delivered a letter from him to Moscow earlier this month in which he had set out ideas for the political future of Libya and that Saif was in regular contact with Russia.
"Our position is that no one should be isolated and excluded from a constructive political role," Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told state-run news service RIA Novosti on Monday. Qaddafi's son, "Saif al-Islam has the backing of specific tribes in Libya and all this should be part of the overall political process," he said.
Western powers and the United Nations are pushing for the North African country to hold elections next year after a national conference to try to end seven years of conflict in the oil producer.
Moscow is open Saif Al Islam's political participation, Bloomberg reported last week, after he sent a representative to ask for Russian support earlier this month.
Russia last year switched its strategy in Libya away from solely backing Khalifa Haftar, a military strongman who controls most of the oil-producing east, to opening dialogue with all rival power centers in the fractured country.
Saif's father, Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in a 2011 revolt. Saif, who was detained afterwards before later being freed, was seen by some as a potential reformist successor to his father in the years before 2011 and remains a key figure for Gaddafi loyalists.
"That's why we are maintaining contacts with all groups who are based in the west, east and south of the country ... Saif al-Islam has the backing of specific tribes in specific areas of Libya and all this should be part of the overall political process with the participation of other political forces." Russia is also in close contact with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar who dominates eastern Libya and has visited Moscow and held talks with top officials.
