Dubai: Turkey has proposed to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi he should name a president with popular support as a way to end his country's crisis without the use of force, according to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan told Al Arabiya TV Turkey understood the relationship between east and west and would not take part in or approve use of force by Nato.
"I have spoken to Gaddafi three times and once to his son," Erdogan told the Dubai-based channel.
"I have contacts with revolutionaries in the east of the country and with figures from the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Libya.
"I have proposed to Gaddafi to step down since he is not a president and nominate someone to lead the people of Libya in the upcoming transitional period that is accepted by Libyan people."
He added: "I spoke to Gaddafi's son [Saif Al Islam] and I am sure that Gaddafi will take positive steps in the coming days. We need to see all hostile actions stop from east and west to work out a peaceful solution for Libya." On the issue of Nato, Erdogan said: "Military intervention by Nato in Libya or any other country would be totally counter-productive. In addition to being counter-productive, such an operation could have dangerous consequences."
Nato-member Turkey stressed the 28-member alliance could intervene only when one of its members is attacked.
