SIRTE, Libya &#8212 The U.N. secretary-general urged Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Saturday to play a leadership role in bringing Darfur’s rebel groups to a new round of talks with the Sudanese government.

Ban Ki-moon met with Gadhafi two days after the U.N. chief and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir announced the talks would be held in Libya starting Oct. 27.

“I asked him and urged him to demonstrate all possible leadership and initiative and influence to bring all representatives of the movements” to the peace table, Ban told journalists.

Libya, which borders Sudan, has a history of supporting rebel groups but in recent years has tried to improve its image. As a member of both the Arab League and the African Union, Libya could reach both Arabs and ethnic Africans in Darfur.

Ban said he was “confident” Gadhafi could play a role in Darfur’s peace process. Gadhafi did not speak to reporters, and Ban said it was not the time to provide details on the specific actions he was contemplating.

Ban, who has made Darfur a top priority since taking the reins of the U.N. on Jan. 1, said he told Gadhafi the upcoming negotiations should produce a final settlement.

The Libyan leader “expressed his support that we need to work to make this a final phase – and a final settlement of this issue,” the secretary-general said.