Tripoli, Libya (CNN) — As fighting between government and rebel forces rages on in several Libyan towns, world leaders are gathering in London today to plan ways to put pressure on leader Moammar Gaddafi.
More than 40 foreign ministers and representatives from regional groups will attend the conference, including U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the African Union Jean Ping and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“The purpose of this conference is to broaden and deepen the coalition effort,” said British Foreign Secretary William Hague. “We all want to see that cease-fire. We all want to see Gaddafi go. Those things are clear. But once we have that cease-fire, we have something to work with.”
The conference comes as opposition fighters, aided by coalition airstrikes, made some gains in fighting Gaddafi’s forces. It also comes a day after U.S. President Barack Obama explained America’s role in the conflict and declared that “history is not on Gaddafi’s side.”
Organizers of the conference say the influential group will look for ways to strengthen the U.N. Security Council resolution approved on March 17 that created a no-fly zone above Libya and mandated the protection of civilians. They will also search for urgent ways to get humanitarian aid to war-torn cities like Misrata.
