Clinton to meet with Libyan opposition leaders in Paris

PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was on her way to Europe and the Middle East early Monday, March 14, for a round of diplomacy focusing on the Libyan uprising and the new governments in Tunisia and Egypt.

Clinton, representing an Obama administration wary of intervention, will meet in Paris with a Libyan opposition pleading for foreign military intervention to repel a counter-offensive by troops loyal to Muammar al-Gaddafi.

Clinton will also directly hear French calls to "speed up" multilateral efforts for a no-fly zone over Libya aimed at grounding Gaddafi's air power.

The chief U.S. diplomat will then travel to Cairo and Tunis, where she will become the highest-level U.S. official to visit since their presidents were toppled in mass pro-democracy protests.

During her stop in Paris on Monday and Tuesday, Clinton will join her counterparts from France, Russia, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan to debate the no-fly zone and other ways to help the opposition in Libya, ChannelNewsAsia reports.

The United States has agreed to name a special envoy to deal with the opposition, but has refrained from recognizing any particular leader or group as it struggles to understand the nebulous movement.

Washington welcomed the Arab League call for a no-fly zone, but is not yet supporting the policy. Clinton has said a no-fly zone plan will be presented to NATO on Tuesday, March 15.