Tripoli, Aug 1 (ANI): Embattled Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is looking to hire a New York public-relations firm in a bid to improve his image.

According to a pitch letter an official in Tripoli recently emailed to New York and London agencies, the leader is looking for a firm to head daily news conferences and spread the good word on his 'moral' and 'legal' claims to power.

In the email, the country's Ministry of Information also claims the NATO strikes were caused by a 'PR attack', rather than the slaughter of innocent protesters, the Daily Mail reports.

"Libya has been under an unjustified media and P.R attack which led to NATO's military involvement," the letter stated.

The email suggests the government is keen to conceal the plan, the paper said.

"We can formalise any deal with your organization through a third party to help move things forward fast," the letter said.

According to an official at the Libyan Mission in New York, the email is legitimate.

Ronn Torossian, of an American public relations firm 5WPR, described the pitch as 'very unorthodox' and said that there he 'doubts whether any PR firm would positively respond to this request'. (ANI)