Libya-China arms memos found on Tripoli roadside

China has admitted that talks were held between state-owned arms companies and representatives of Col Gaddafi, as recently as July - despite a United Nations embargo on weapons sales.

China maintains that the discussions were held without the knowledge of the government, and says that no deals were signed, and no arms were supplied.

The news was first reported in the Canadian Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper after one of their journalists, Graeme Smith, came across documents detailing the meetings.

Mr Smith told the BBC World Service that he found the memos by the side of the road in Tripoli, "blowing in the wind".