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Libya crisis: Clinton tells allies to step up pressure Libya crisis: Allies step up funding to rebels
(about 1 hour later)
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged a group of Western and Arab powers to step up pressure to remove Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Western and Arab countries involved in the Libya campaign have pledged money to a new funding mechanism for the rebels, stepping up international pressure on Col Gaddafi's regime.
"Time is on our side," she told a meeting of the Contact Group on Libya. "Gaddafi's days are numbered." Italy is sending $586 (400m euros; £360m), France $420m, and Kuwait $180m.
The meeting in the United Arab Emirates is expected to firm up plans to set up a fund to help the Libyan rebels. The Libyan rebels have said they need $3bn over the next four months.
Meanwhile Tripoli has denied allegations of war crimes made at a UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva. The pledges came at a meeting of the Contact Group on Libya in Abu Dhabi. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Col Gaddafi's days were "numbered".
Top officials from the Contact Group - which includes Britain, France and the US, as well as Arab allies Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar - are meeting in Abu Dhabi to prepare for the post-Gaddafi era in Libya. "As time passes, maintaining our resolve and unity only grows more important," she told the meeting of the Contact Group - which includes Britain, France and the US, as well as Arab allies Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar - convened to prepare for the post-Gaddafi era.
At the start of the talks, Mrs Clinton said: "As time passes, maintaining our resolve and unity only grows more important. Mrs Clinton added: "Alongside our military mission to protect the Libyan people, we must continue to escalate the political, diplomatic and financial pressure on Gaddafi and his regime.
"Alongside our military mission to protect the Libyan people, we must continue to escalate the political, diplomatic and financial pressure on Gaddafi and his regime. "Time is on our side - but we know we must sustain the pressure."
"Time is on our side - but we know we must sustain the pressure. Gaddafi's isolation is growing, as evidenced by the increasing number of calls for his departure." The temporary mechanism to transfer funds to the Libyan rebels is now operational, officials at the meeting said.
A newly agreed mechanism to transfer funds to the Libyan rebels is now operational, officials at the meetings said. Representatives for Libya's rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) transitional council say it needs cash urgently to pay for salaries and food supplies.
Kuwait promised $180m (124m euros; £110m) to the mechanism, the emirate's foreign minister Sheikh Mohammad al-Salem al-Sabah said. Italy said it would give the rebels up to $586m (400m euros; £360m) in cash and fuel aid backed by frozen Libyan assets.
The rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC) has said it needs some $3bn over the next few months. France said it would release $420m (290m euros; £257m) of frozen Libyan funds.
However, correspondents say there is no sign of any progress in the rebel requests to unfreeze Libyan assets in the US.
In other developments:In other developments:
  • Italy said it would give the rebels up to $586m (400m euros; £360m) in cash and fuel aid backed by frozen Libyan assets
  • The NTC says it wants to restart oil production at fields under its control, at the rate of about 100,000 barrels a day, but has given no time-frame
  • US military operations in Libya are on course to cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than the Pentagon estimated, according to figures obtained by the Financial Times
'Viagra pills'
  • The NTC says it wants to restart oil production at fields under its control, at the rate of about 100,000 barrels a day, but has given no time-frame
  • US Defence Secretary Robert Gates calls for more countries to contribute to Nato operations over Libya, saying those "bearing the brunt of the strike burden are increasingly pressed"
    •
  • US military operations in Libya are on course to cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than the Pentagon estimated, according to figures obtained by the Financial Times
'Viagra pills'
In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council is debating a report on alleged human rights violations in Libya. Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva has been debating a report on alleged human rights violations in Libya.
The abuses include murder, torture, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians allegedly committed by pro-Gaddafi forces, as well as serious violations by rebel forces.The abuses include murder, torture, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians allegedly committed by pro-Gaddafi forces, as well as serious violations by rebel forces.
Libyan diplomat Mustafa Shaban told members that his government was "the victim of a widespread aggression" and blamed the media, opposition and foreign mercenaries for human rights abuses, including "acts of cannibalism". Libyan diplomat Mustafa Shaban on Thursday told members that his government was "the victim of a widespread aggression" and blamed the media, opposition and foreign mercenaries for human rights abuses, including "acts of cannibalism".
In a separate development, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said there was evidence that Col Gaddafi had ordered the rape of hundreds of women as a weapon of war against rebel forces.In a separate development, the chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said there was evidence that Col Gaddafi had ordered the rape of hundreds of women as a weapon of war against rebel forces.
He said he was looking into allegations that security forces had been given medication such as Viagra to enhance their sex drive.He said he was looking into allegations that security forces had been given medication such as Viagra to enhance their sex drive.
In March, a Libyan woman, Eman al-Obeidi, made headlines around the world after she burst into a Tripoli hotel and said she had been raped by pro-Gaddafi troops. She is recovering at a refugee centre in Romania.In March, a Libyan woman, Eman al-Obeidi, made headlines around the world after she burst into a Tripoli hotel and said she had been raped by pro-Gaddafi troops. She is recovering at a refugee centre in Romania.
Testimony from captured Libyan soldiers that rape was used as a systematic weapon of war was taken by the BBC's Africa correspondent Andrew Harding in May.Testimony from captured Libyan soldiers that rape was used as a systematic weapon of war was taken by the BBC's Africa correspondent Andrew Harding in May.
Meanwhile Nato has carried out further air strikes on government targets in Tripoli. At least two powerful explosions rocked the Libyan capital late on Wednesday. Earlier, Nato carried out further air strikes on government targets in Tripoli. At least two powerful explosions rocked the Libyan capital late on Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear what was targeted in the air strike, but it reportedly hit an area close to Col Gaddafi's residence.
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