North Africa: Gaddafi won't buy time with cease fire statment

PJ: As leaders meet to discuss actions, Al Jazeera is reporting that several French fighter jets are flying over Libya on a reconnaissance mission.

Al Jazeera

World leaders discuss Libya action
Meeting in Paris follows UN resolution allowing no-fly zone and possible military action against Gaddafi's regime.

World leaders have gathered in Paris to discuss military intervention in Libya where forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, the country's long time leader, are battling rebels in the city of Benghazi.

The talks on Saturday were convened by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, just hours after the UN Security Council passed a resolution allowing possible military action and a no-fly zone over the Libya.

Several Arab leaders will be at the talks along with an African Union representative and an array of European leaders including Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, although Germany is not expected to participate in any action.

Paris has taken a leading role in co-ordinating the world's response to the situation in Libya and try to halt Gaddafi's attacks on the poorly armed rebel forces.

Sarkozy held a three-way meeting with Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, and David Cameron, the British prime minister, ahead of the wider talks.

In Libya, Gaddafi's forces moved on the rebels in Benghazi early on Saturday, in spite of calling a ceasefire a day earlier in response to the UN Security Council resolution.

The move appeared to be an attempt to pre-empt Western military intervention, which diplomats say will come only after Saturday's talks.

Paul Brennan, Al Jazeera's correspondent, reporting from Paris, said: "The urgency that has been lent to these proceedings by events in Libya this morning is huge.

"If Gaddafi was hoping to buy time with that ceasefire statement it certainly hasn't worked - military hardware has been moving into the Mediterranean area with a great speed and this meeting is to decide exactly how to control that hardware."




http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/03/2011319132058782326.html