Arab League backs call for Libya no-fly zone

The Arab League asked the UN Security Council today to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians from air attack by forces of Muammar Gaddafi's embattled government, giving crucial backing to a key demand of the rebel forces battling to oust the Libyan leader.

Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab bloc, meeting in Cairo, also left the Libyan leader of more than 40 years increasingly isolated, declaring his government had "lost its sovereignty".

They also appeared to confer legitimacy on the rebel's interim government, the National Libyan Council, saying they would establish contacts with the umbrella group and calling on nations to provide it with "urgent help".

A statement released after the emergency session read: "The Arab League asks the United Nations to shoulder its responsibility... to impose a no-fly zone over the movement of Libyan military planes and to create safe zones in the places vulnerable to air strikes."

League secretary-general Amr Moussa stressed in remarks afterwards that a no-fly zone was intended as a humanitarian measure to protect Libyan civilians and foreigners in the country and not as a military intervention.

That stance appeared to be an attempt to win over the deeply Arab nationalist government of Syria, which has opposed foreign intervention into Arab affairs.

The Arab League cannot impose a no-fly zone itself but the approval of the key regional Arab body gives the US and other Western powers crucial regional backing they say they need before doing so.

Many were weary that Western powers would be seen as intervening in the affairs of an Arab country if they began a no-fly zone without Arab approval.

Still, the US has said a no-fly zone may have limited impact, and the international community is divided over the issue.

Backing the rebel's political leadership, the Arab League statement said it had faced "grievous violations and serious crimes by the Libyan authorities, which have lost their sovereignty".

The league's decision came hours before the European Union's foreign policy chief was set to arrive in Cairo to meet with the Arab bloc's leaders to discuss the situation in Libya.

Catherine Ashton, from the UK, said she hoped to discuss a "collaborative approach" with Arab League chief Moussa on Libya and the rest of the region.

Ashton said it was necessary to evaluate how effective economic sanctions imposed on Gaddafi's regime had been so far and that she was "keeping all options moving forward" regarding any additional measures.

German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle welcomed the EU's "very cautious" stance on possible military intervention.

"We do not want to be drawn into a war in north Africa - we should have learned from the events in and surrounding Iraq," Westerwelle said.

"It is very important that the impression doesn't arise that this is a conflict of the West against the Arab world or a Christian crusade against people of Muslim faith."