Libya summit to launch post-Gadhafi era

LONDON, March 29 (UPI) -- The West will continue to back Libyan rebels with military force, fast tracked humanitarian aid and strategies to launch the North-African country's post-Moammar-Gadhafi democratic future, British Prime Minister David Cameron said Tuesday at an international conference on Libya in London.

The NATO-led military engagement had "saved the city of Benghazi, averted a massacre and gave freedom a chance in Libya," Cameron said at the start of a meeting of nearly 40 leaders from the European Union, the Arab League, the African Union, the United Nations and the United States. "There are better days ahead for Libya."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the West would continue pressuring Gadhafi and his inner circle through sanctions, increase efforts to get humanitarian aid to people in the conflict regions and support the "broader goal of a Libya that belongs not to a dictator but to the Libyan people."

Cameron unveiled plans to create what he called a political contact group to help launch a post-Gadhafi political process once the Libyan leader's forces are defeated and the rebels, represented by Libya's Interim National Transitional Council, are in charge of the country's cities.

The council isn't officially invited but its representatives met with leaders on the sidelines of the conference, which comes as rebel forces are advancing in Libya thanks to 12 days of Western airstrikes against regime-held positions.

Representatives of the transitional council Tuesday promised to launch a democratic and transparent political process once the fighting stops, a commitment the West should "warmly welcome," Cameron said.

Meanwhile, leaders in London vowed to keep military pressure on Gadhafi forces until they stop attacking civilians, respect a no-fly zone and pull out from cities taken by the rebels.

Cameron said Gadhafi continues to order "murderous attacks" on civilians in the rebel-held city of Misrata.

"He's using snipers to shoot people down … has cut off food and water supplies … and is harassing humanitarian ships trying to get to the city," he said.

The West's military engagement in Libya, backed by two U.N. Security Council resolutions, is aimed at protecting Libya's civilian population from attacks by regime forces. It doesn't support a Western-forced regime change or the deployment of post-conflict occupational troops in the oil-rich North African country.

Russia has criticized the airstrikes and large parts of the British population are concerned that the Libyan mission turns into a second Iraq or Afghanistan.

Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy tried to counter such fears in a joint letter published ahead of the London meeting.

"We emphasize that we do not envisage any military occupation of Libya," the letter read. "That is why the political process that will begin tomorrow in London is so important. The London conference will bring the international community together to support Libya's transition from violent dictatorship and to help create the conditions where the people of Libya can choose their own future."

Italy, which had good ties with Libya ahead of the mission, has proposed a deal that includes exile for Gadhafi and mediated peace talks. The rebels, however, have ruled out discussions with officials from the Gadhafi regime or the leader himself.

NATO will take over the military command of the mission Wednesday, despite efforts from Sarkozy to have France in the lead role. Paris has argued that NATO's flag could spark concerns over Western imperialism.

The United States, often derided for the military campaign in Iraq, aims to keep a much lower profile in Libya once NATO takes over.

U.S. President Barack Obama said Monday in Washington that U.S. troops would "play a supporting role," adding that "the risk and cost of this operation, to our military and to American taxpayers, will be reduced significantly."