"We give them one week more," Mohammed Zawawi told AFP, stating that the ultimatum applied to towns holding out in the south and the centre, as well as to Kadhafi´s hometown of Sirte.[break]
"Sirte is not that strategic so that we rush," he said. "We give them more time to make some progress on the negotiations."
Sirte, Kadhafi´s coastal hometown between Tripoli and Benghazi and the main centre still in loyalist hands, is besieged by rebel forces from east and west.
"We are trying to make them surrender by cutting water and electricity there," Zawawi said.
The rebels had said on Tuesday they were ready for the final battle of their more than six-month uprising after their leaders gave Kadhafi´s last loyalists a Saturday deadline to surrender.
The head of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustafa Abdel Jalil, said the respite was offered to mark the three-day Eid al-Fitr feast which follows the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
"From Saturday, if no peaceful solution is in sight on the ground, we will resort to military force," Abdel Jalil had said.
The rebels said earlier on Thursday they no longer believed fallen strongman Kadhafi is hiding in Sirte, and are talking with tribal chiefs for the city´s peaceful surrender.
Jalal al-Digheily, defence minister in the NTC, was speaking at Nofilia, some 100 kilometres (60 miles) east of Sirte.
"There will be no attack on Sirte just now. We continue to negotiate to enter the city peacefully," Digheily said. "We are negotiating with tribal leaders and seek a peaceful solution for all Libyans."
"The tribal chiefs agreed with us that we must not wage war in the city," said rebel commander Yunes al-Abderi. He said he was "very optimistic" about a peaceful surrender, although "some units (of Kadhafi loyalists) still do not want to go."
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