Libya live blog March 10

Reporting by Karl Stagno-Navarra, Matthew Vella, Miriam Dalli and Nestor Laiviera.

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18:46 Reuters reports that Gaddafi’s son Saif has affirmed that the time has come for full-scale military action against Libyan rebels.

17:31 Al Jazeera reports that the three Dutch soldiers taken captive by Libyan troops during a botched operation a fortnight ago to evacuate two civilians are to be freed, Libyan state TV says.

17:17  Maltese government takes cautious stand over recognition of Libyan transitional national council, after unilateral French decision to recognise rebel council. Malta has already negotiated a position in the EU that extended sanctions do not affect Maltese-owned businesses. There is no clear stand so far, but it is clear the government will not be taking any hasty steps in recognition of rebel council.

17:13 Enforcement of arms embargo would require new UN Security Council resolution - Rasmussen says extended surveillance in the Mediterranean would help monitor compliance with the UNSC arms embargo. "It is surveillance and not enforcement of embargo... the latter would require UNSC resolution."

Read Rasmussen's press conference coverage here.

Rasmussen said he would not go into operational details of maritime military asset movements. "These are assets that can be moved already within the Central Mediterranean."

17:07 Rasmussen: "There is risk of seeing failed state in the future that could be breeding ground for extremism... important for peaceful transition in the country."

17:04 Rasmussen: "NATO's guiding principles are demonstrable need, clear legal basis, and strong regional support" for no-fly zone.

17:02 "I do not comment on unconfirmed rumour" - NATO secretary-general when asked by BBC and Russia Today (Arabic) whether NATO is united when France is calling for targeted strikes on Libyan facilities. Rasmussen denies there has been any discussion about the possibility of air strikes on Libya, as France's Nicolas Sarkozy was reported earlier to be advocating.

17:01 NATO secretary-general: "Any NATO initiative should be complementary with other organisations such as the EU."

16:59 NATO secretary-general: "It has been decided to increase the presence of NATO maritime assets in the Central Mediterranean. Our strategic military commander will move the Central Mediterranean assets under our command... they are vital in the current circumtsnaces and contribute to our monitoring, especially with regards to UN-imposed arms embargo.

"We have also directed NATO military authorities to draw up detailed planning on humanitarian assistance, and more active measures to enforce arms embargo."

"We considered initial options for a no-fly zone in case of a clear United Nations mandate. Ministers agreed that further planning will be required."

16:56 NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen is giving a press conference at the end of a defence ministers' meeting.

16:00 Italian foreign minister told reporters after today's Brussels meeting for foreign ministers: "Italy can accept a [no-fly zone] provided there is UN Security Council resolution, a NATO decision and there is clear support from the Arab League and the involvement of the African Union... What is important now is Saturday's summit of the Arab League that would be deciding that position."

15:26 UK foreign secretary William Hague has told reporters that the UK government recognises states not governments, when asked about the French recognition of the transitional council in Libya. He said a no-fly zone must have"a demonstrable need that the world can see, that it has broad support within the region, and a legal basis. Those are the essential criteria for a no-fly zone."

15:00 Abuse suffered by three BBC journalists at the hands of Libyan soldiers and secret police could amount to torture, says UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay. "For them to be targeted, detained and treated with such cruelty, which could amount to torture, is completely unacceptable and in serious violation of international law."

14:48 NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen outlines three prerequisites for NATO to step in. He said there must be: A demonstrable need for NATO action; a clear legal basis; firm regional support. "This would seem to rule out further action without a UN resolutio... It does not mean we are deciding to carry out specific operational steps today, but it does mean we are watching what the Libyan regime is doing to its people very closely.

14:40 AFP reports that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces have managed to secure the oilfield town of Ras Lanuf, with rebels in retreat from the coastal oil town in Eastern Libya. Last night Gaddafi managed to regain control of Zawiyah, where rebels had previously held under their control after the February 17 Day of Rage uprising.

13:38  MEPs call on High Representative Ashton to recognise the Interim Libyan National Council, and call on EU Member States to “stand ready” for UN-mandated no-fly zone. In a European Parliament plenary session MEPs called on High Representative Ashton to recognise the Interim Libyan National Council as officially representing the Libyan opposition.

13:30 The EU has formally agreed added sanctions on Gaddafi's regime, notably targeting the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) - the overseas investment vehicle for Tripoli's oil revenues - AFP reports. The new sanctions on a Libyan individual as well as five economic "entities", also including the Libyan Central Bank, are to enter into force on Friday when published in the European Union's official journal, it says.

13:12  Portuguese daily newspaper Publico quotes a diplomatic source saying that Gaddafi was open to the idea of negotiations. The report followed a meeting between Portugese foreign minister Luis Amado and Gaddafi’s envoy in Lisbon.

Publico reports that, according to a source, the message had to be taken with caution as it was given in response to Amado's proposals for a cessation of hostilities against the rebels and a peaceful change of power in the north African country. "The emissary of the Libyan leader told Amado that Tripoli would accept 'to begin a negotiations process for a transition'," Publico reported.

12:44 World Islamic Call Society’s imam Mohammed El Sadi has called on Libyan forces to solve ‘tragic crisis peacefully’.

Imam Mohammed El Sadi, who for the past decades has led worship at the World Islamic Call Society’s mosque in Paola, has warned against any foreign military intervention in Libya and called for a peaceful mediation between the warring factions.

12:37 Libya's state news agency has quoted a government officials as saying Tripoli is considering "severing its relations with France because of information being circulated about France's damaging intervention in Libya's internal affairs". France has decided to recognise the rebel council in Benghazi.

12:02 Germany has frozen the assets of the Libyan Central Bank and other state-run agencies in an attempt to cut off funding to Col Gaddafi's regime, says Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle according to AP.

11:54 Urgent efforts are under way to establish the whereabouts of the Guardian correspondent Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, the newspaper reports. He last made contact with the newspaper on Sunday.

11:27: France is the first country to officially recognise the Transitional Council. It is unclear whether other EU countries will follow suit, as the policy is usually to recognise the legitimacy of states, not governments.

09:30   NATO Defence Ministers arrived in Brussels for a two-day meeting at which the evolving situation in Libya will be at the top of the agenda. Ministers will consider how the Alliance can best prepare to add value to the efforts of the international community in dealing with the Libyan crisis in case there is a call for assistance.

08:30 Libyan Under-Secretary for International Cooperation, Mohammed Taher Siyala, was in Malta yesterday morning for unscheduled talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at Castille.

Taher Siyala was served as an envoy of Col. Gaddafi who has embarked on a diplomatic blitz in Europe and in the Middle East, as private jets were scrambled from Tripoli to Cairo, Valletta, Lisbon, Paris and Brussels with a message to the Arab League, the European Union and Nato.

According to a statement issued by the Maltese government, Siyala explained the Libyan government’s position on the recent events in the North African country, while Prime Minister Gonzi reiterated the Maltese government’s position and insisted that all violence in Libya has to stop immediately. Siyala later left Malta for a meeting in Lisbon with the Portuguese foreign Minister Luis Amado.