The 27 EU leaders are expected to declare their condemnation to the Libyan regime and ask that Gaddafi stands down ‘immediately’ to make way for a new beginning in Libya.

Draft summit conclusions seen by timesofmalta.com reconfirm the position adopted by the European Commission last week that ‘Gaddafi is the problem’ and that he should step down immediately.

The draft conclusions also state that EU leaders “condemn without reservations the use of military force against the civilian population. This is unacceptable and has to stop immediately”.

EU diplomats told this website that “there is already unanimous agreement on the need that Gaddafi steps down” .

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who is representing Malta at the summit reiterated this morning the Maltese government’s position that the exit of Colonel Gaddafi from the political scene is ‘inevitable’.

The summit is still ongoing.