Cameron to meet with Libyan opposition
David Cameron is to hold talks with the Libyan opposition today as more than 40 nations gathered in London to discuss the country’s future.
Downing Street declined to say whether the UK was set to follow France by formally recognising Libya’s Interim Transitional National Council (ITNC).
It is not taking part in the UK-hosted conference but ITNC special envoy Mahmoud Jabril is expected to be invited into Number 10 for discussions.
The high-level talks came as rebel fighters were forced back from dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte as their rapid westward push was halted.
Despite more than a week of coalition airstrikes against regime military targets, they were met by considerable firepower in what could become a decisive confrontation.
The conference brings together all members of the coalition involved in the military operation, as well as the United Nations, Nato, the African Union and the Arab League.
Arab countries Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates will be there in an effort to “strengthen and broaden” the alliance behind military action.
After his own talks with Mr Jabril this morning, Foreign Secretary William Hague said the ITNC was “an important and legitimate political interlocutor”.
But he told BBC Radio 4’s Today that he did not take for granted that it would be the next government of Libya.
“That is for the people of Libya to determine in the future,” he said.
“One of the things that we will launch at the conference today is the political process that of course will include that national council.”
Mr Hague and Mr Cameron are also holding talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hours after President Barack Obama signalled a scaling back of America’s role in the military action.
Command of the entire operation will be transferred to Nato on Wednesday, he said in a speech last night, with the US shifting to a supporting role including intelligence and search and rescue.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the conference would not discuss “what the solution should be and how we should impose that on the people of Libya”.
The aim, he said, was to establish how the international community could “create the room” for the Libyan people themselves to establish a transition process.
A United Nations envoy will travel to Libya from the conference, which will also look at humanitarian needs in cities such as Misrata which remain under attack.
Mr Hague declined to say where Gaddafi should go if he stood down but that the UK continued to believe he should face the International Criminal Court.
“People who committed crimes, if the prosecutor has the information on them, should be before the International Criminal Court,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“But of course where he goes, if he goes, is up to him and the people of Libya to determine and we will not necessarily be in control of that.”
Asked what would happen if the rebels started attacking civilians, Mr Hague said: “I’m not going there, that is a very hypothetical situation.”
But he stressed that there was no record so far of that happening.
