Doha: World powers rallied behind Libyan rebels as they appeared on a global stage for the first time on Wednesday, with Italy and Qatar saying they need weapons and Britain pressing for urgent aid.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, warned at the Libya Contact Group meeting that as many as 3.6 million people, or more than half of Libya's population, could need humanitarian assistance.
In focus: Unrest in the Middle East
The group called for Muammar Gaddafi's departure while stressing that a political solution was the only way out of the crisis. It called for an immediate end to all attacks on civilians and a complete withdrawal of Gaddafi's forces.
Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen admitted bluntly that a military operation was not enough to end the conflict.
The group agreed on a Temporary Financial Mechanism managed by the rebels' Transitional National Council and the international community.
The council had called for access to some Libyan assets frozen abroad "to be used to ease shortages in food and medical supplies," council spokesperson Mahmoud Shamam said.
The council stressed it will not negotiate with Gaddafi. "Gaddafi is facing charges of crimes against humanity and the entire international community is calling for him to step down, so how can we negotiate with him?" he said.
