Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi told supporters in Tripoli on Wednesday that he could not step down because he is a "symbol for the Libyan people."
Up to 2,000 people are believed to have been killed in clashes between protesters and pro-Gaddafi forces since a popular uprising began in the North African country on February 15. Inspired by recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, Libyans are demanding an end to Gaddafi's 42-year authoritarian rule.
"We put our fingers in the eyes of those who doubt that Libya is ruled by anyone other than its people," Gaddafi told a cheering crowd in a speech broadcast on national television.
The international community has been quick to condemn the violent methods used to suppress the Libyan uprising. The United Nations Security Council, the United States and the European Union have all agreed to impose sanctions against Gaddafi and Libya's ruling elite.
Gaddafi said the world did not understand the Libyan system that puts power in the hands of the people.
"The foreigners want Gaddafi to step down, to step down from what? Gaddafi is just a symbol for the Libyan people... This is how the Libyan people understood it," he said.
Gaddafi blamed al-Qaeda for the unrest and said he is ready to enter into dialogue with the Osama bin Laden-led group, but vowed to fight to the last man and woman.
"Sleeper cells from al-Qaeda, its elements, infiltrated gradually," he said. "They believe the world is theirs, they fight everywhere, the intelligence services know them by name."
He said that any foreign intervention will only cost thousands of Libyan lives.
Gaddafi urged the United Nations to set up a fact-finding mission to investigate what had happened in Libya, and said he saw a conspiracy to colonize and humiliate Libya and seize its oil.
CAIRO, March 2 (RIA Novosti)
