"We encourage those around Gaddafi to abandon him and embrace a better future for Libya that allows political transition and real reform that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people"
Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa has been questioned by officials after arriving in the UK unexpectedly late on Wednesday flying in from Tunisia.
The UK Foreign Office said he has defected and was "no longer willing" to work for Colonel Gaddafi. However a Libyan spokesman denied that Moussa had defected and said he was on a diplomatic mission.
"He travelled here under his own free will. He has told us that he is resigning his post. We are discussing this with him and we will release further details in due course," the Foreign Office statement said. "We encourage those around Gaddafi to abandon him and embrace a better future for Libya that allows political transition and real reform that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people."
It added that Koussa was one of the most senior officials in Gaddafi's government with a role to represent it internationally, which is "something that he is no longer willing to do".
Earlier on Wednesday, the British government announced the expulsion of Libya's military attache and four other diplomats in protest and for intimidating opposition groups in London. A government source quoted by Reuters said the diplomats, believed to be supporters of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, have been given seven days to leave.
William Hague, the British foreign minister, told legislators the move was to "underline our grave concern at the regime's behavior". He said Koussa has not been offered immunity after his surprise arrival in Britain.
This comes as Libyan revolutionists retreat from former strongholds along the eastern coast. They are in full retreat from Brega, having lost the key oil port of Ras Lanuf and the nearby town of Bin Jawad. In the west, the opposition-held town of Misrata is still reportedly coming under attack from pro-Gaddafi troops, reports say.
ARMING REVOLUTIONISTS
Britain hosted an international conference on Tuesday that piled pressure on Gaddafi to quit and pledged to continue military action against his forces until he complies with a UN resolution to protect civilians.
At the London meeting, the question of arming Libyan revolutionists moved up the international agenda, although both Britain and the United States said they had taken no decision to supply arms.
On Wednesday, David Cameron, the British prime minister, repeated that line, adding that UN resolution 1973 allowed all necessary measures to protect civilians.
Expressing his reservations, British foreign minister Hague said introducing new weapons into a conflict could have "unforeseeable and unknown consequences".
