France ready to talk about arming Libyan rebels [View All]

Source: Reuters

LONDON, March 29 | Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:21pm EDT

(Reuters) - France said it was ready to discuss arming Libyan rebels with its coalition partners, although this was not part of the United Nations mandate, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.

Speaking after a meeting in London of foreign ministers and international organisations to discuss post-Gaddafi Libya, Alain Juppe said a new political contact group had been created comprising 20 countries and organisations and would meet next in Qatar, then Italy.

"I remind you it is not part of the U.N. resolution, which France sticks too, but we are ready to discuss it (arming) with our partners," Juppe told reporters.

On whether Gaddafi should go into exile, Juppe said there was no future for the Libyan leader in his country, but that it was up to the Libyan people to decide his fate.

(Reporting by John Irish and Emmanuel Jarry; editing by Mark Heinrich)

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/libya-conference-juppe-idUSPISTEE7DI20110329