CAIRO- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday it was ultimately up to Libyans to settle matters in their country, where rebels are fighting an insurgency against Muammar Gaddafi's four-decade rule.
"It seems to me that if there is a mediation to be done, if there is a role to be played, it is among the Libyans themselves. This matter at the end of the day is going to have to be settled by Libyans. It's their country," Gates told reporters during a visit to Cairo.
Gates said he was unsure if there would be any value in trying to bring the rebels and Gaddafi together for talks.
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