Latest News & Blog
Have your say on current issues

Addressing a flood of jubilant Libyans in Benghazi- the foreground of the uprising back in February, Mr Cameron conveyed his pleasure over being present in “a free Benghazi and in a free Libya.”

“Your city was an inspiration to the world as you threw off a dictator and chose freedom,”

“Colonel Gaddafi said he would hunt you down like rats, but you showed the courage of lions, and we salute your courage,” he said stridently, deafened by the chanting and cheering in Benghazi's Freedom Square.

The French president also spoke to the crowd as they sang “1,2,3 Merci Sarkozy.”

“You wanted peace, you wanted liberty, you want economic progress; France, Great Britain, Europe, will always stand by the side of the Libyan people,” Mr Sarkozy said.

Seven months ago, Sarkozy, supported by David Cameron garnered backing for NATO air strikes to halt Gaddafi's tanks as they closed in to crush Benghazi, by convincing the U.N Security Council to pass an emergency resolution.

Today, Libyan rebel forces assisted by NATO air power now control majority of Libya, including major oil-producing centres and the capital.

However, the war for freedom and democracy is far from over; a pocket of strongholds such as the overthrown dictator's birthplace Sirte, the desert town of Bani Walid and southern outpost of Sabha persist to be fortified with strong resistance by pro-Gaddafi supporters.

Earlier in the day, Mr Cameron told a press conference in the Libyan capital Tripoli that NATO will keep on its mission until the civilians are protected and the work completed. He vowed that his countries will help the Libyans hunt down Gaddafi whose whereabouts remain unknown.

“This is not over,” the British Prime Minister said.

“There are still parts of Libya that are under Gaddafi's control. Gaddafi is still at large and we must make sure that this work is completed.”

“We will help you to find Gaddafi and bring him to justice.”

“We stand ready to help but we want to know what it is you most want us to do,” he added. “This is the moment when the Arab spring could be become the Arab summer and we see democracy advance in other countries, too.”

Mr Cameron also announced that his government is working on unfreezing a further 12 billion pounds in Libyan assets in the UK, if a United Nations Security Council resolution on Libya is passed.

At the press conference NTC Chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil thanked the two leaders for assuming “brave positions” during the Libyan revolution.

“They showed us political, economic and military support which helped the rebels establish a state, and we thank France and the UK for that,” he said.

The NTC asserts itself as the “only legitimate body representing the people of Libya and the Libyan state".

Approximately 86 countries including the UK, the USA, France, Qatar, Italy, Germany, Canada and Turkey, officially recognize the body as the legitimate governing authority in Libya until an interim authority is in place.

Countries such as China and Russia have expressed concerns that business deals authorized under the Gaddafi regime could cost them economically due to their subdued relationship with the NTC.

But Mr Abdel Jalil said existing contracts signed with the Gaddafi government would be honoured after scrutinizing them for prior corrupt practices.

“The previous contracts, we have respected them...all legitimate contracts. This means review of these contracts for whatever financial corruption may have tainted them. As a member of the previous government I know well that these prices were above those used globally,” Abdel Jalil stated.

The NTC chief also denied previous agreements with the NTC's “allies and friends”, but precedence would be given to countries that have supported the organisation’s worthy democratic cause.

“As a faithful Muslim people we will appreciate these efforts and they will have priority within a framework of transparency.”