Cameron bid to build Libya support

British Prime Minister David Cameron was joining leaders of Libya\'s National Transitional Council (NTC) at a meeting in Paris Thursday in an effort to build international support for the fledgling rebel administration, Downing Street said. The Prime Minister and French president Nicolas Sarkozy are jointly hosting the conference, aimed at helping the NTC establish a free and democratic Libya. The international conference will also allow the NTC to set out what humanitarian and other aid it needs as it seeks to rebuild the country after 42 years under Colonel Muammar Gaddafi\'s rule. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will also attend the high-level \"Friends of Libya\" meeting. Russia and China, UN Security Council permanent members which did not back its resolution which allowed the military action to protect civilians from Gaddafi\'s regime, will also be sending representatives to the conference. Diplomatic efforts to unlock Libyan assets will be stepped up to provide funds for the NTC, with the possibility of a new UN resolution on the frozen resources also set to be discussed, officials said. The first batch of almost one billion pounds of Libyan dinar banknotes which were seized after being printed in the UK have already been sent to Libya after the UN sanctions committee agreed to a request from the British government. Around 140 million pounds of newly-minted Libyan banknotes were transported to Central Bank of Libya in Benghazi by the RAF. They were part of a stock of 1.86 billion dinars (950 million pounds) printed in the UK, which were frozen under United Nations sanctions at the start of the crisis in Libya. In a statement, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said: \"I am delighted to announce that the RAF delivered 280 million Libyan dinars to the Central Bank of Libya in Benghazi. \"The banknotes will be used to pay the wages of Libyan public sector employees, including nurses, doctors, teachers and police officers; provide support for those on social security who have not been paid for a number of months; provide aid for refugees displaced by the conflict; pay for medicines and subsidies for food supplies; and will be transferred to commercial banks in order to make currency available to the general public for their basic living expenses. \"This is particularly important at the time of Eid. \"Returning money to the Libyan people is part of our commitment to help the NTC rebuild Libya and help create a country where the legitimate needs and aspirations of the Libyan people can be met. \"It follows and was authorised by the UN\'s decision to unfreeze 1.86bn Libyan dinar banknotes printed in the UK. Further deliveries of the remaining funds will be made shortly.\" For his part, UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox said: \"I am pleased that the RAF was able to assist in the delivery of these banknotes - another example of the highly professional approach all three of our Armed Forces have been taking to support the Libyan people at this time.\" In Libya, two of the embattled dictator\'s sons gave conflicting messages about the regime\'s plans for the future. Saif al-Islam vowed to carry on fighting in an audio message broadcast on Syria\'s Al-Rai television. Claiming he was speaking from the suburbs of Tripoli he said his father was safe. \"We are going to die in our land,\" he said. \"No-one is going to surrender.\" But his brother al-Saadi Gaddafi claimed to be authorised to negotiate with the NTC in an effort to end the bloodshed. The rebel commander in Tripoli, Abdel Hakim Belhaj, said al-Saadi rang him to discuss giving himself up. Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was a sign the despot\'s regime was crumbling and called on Col Gaddafi to \"accept the inevitable\" and surrender. Belhaj said al-Saadi first called him on Tuesday and asked whether his safety could be guaranteed. He said: \"We told him \'Don\'t fear for your life. We will guarantee your rights as a human being and will deal with you humanely\'.\" The claims have not been confirmed but former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies said: \"If these reports are true, then the wheels are really coming off the Gaddafi camp. \"A great deal of bloodshed could be avoided if Col Gaddafi himself would accept the inevitable.\" Elsewhere, The Times newspaper reported today that Cameron had commissioned a secret team during the Libyan crisis, the Libyan Oil Cell, which played a part in helping the rebels. The newspaper said it was based in the Foreign Office and created in April after the first flush of bombing failed to oust Gaddafi. After it was realised that hastily arranged sanctions were hurting the rebels while leaving Gaddafi\'s war machine untouched, it pursued policies such as aiding the blockade of Gaddafi-held ports, the report added. Meanwhile, Cameron is hoping the NTC will co-operate in the investigation into the murder of British policewoman Yvonne Fletcher. Only one of three main suspects in the 1984 killing outside the Libyan embassy in London is believed still to be alive but Cameron has said he is sure the NTC will assist a British police investigation. (