Paris, London agree to continue military operation in Libya

The United Kingdom and France agreed to continue NATO's military operation in Libya under a request from the country's National Transition Council, the council's chairman and head of international affairs Mahmoud Jibril said. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Libya on Thursday on their first visit since Libyan rebels ousted strongman Muammar Gaddafi. Cameron and Sarkozy were instrumental in engineering the NATO bombing campaign that aided fighters in toppling Gaddafi and his forces. "We asked the Alliance [NATO] to continue its mission to protect [Libya's civilian population] under UN resolutions 1970 and 1973. The two States have accepted this request," Jibril said. British Foreign Secretary William Hague is accompanying the two leaders, along with Bernard-Henri Levy, the French intellectual seen by many as a driving force behind the French decision to take military action against Gaddafi, the Guardian said. The UK pledged support to Libya in apprehending Gaddafi. "There are still parts of Libya under Gaddafi's control, Gaddafi is still at large, and we must make sure this work is completed," Cameron said. Sarkozy called on the countries where Gaddafi associates who "committed crimes" have sought refuge to cooperate with international bodies in bringing them to justice.