Obama to meet Libya's interim leader in New York

Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC)
chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil
© AFP/File Abdullah Doma

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama will meet Libya’s interim leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, the White House said Friday.

The talks with the leader of the National Transitional Council will come as Western nations pledge to stand by Libya’s rebels as they build up their government after overthrowing Moamer Kadhafi.

“The president will have the opportunity to congratulate chairman Jalil on the success of the Libyan people of ending the Kadhafi regime,” said Ben Rhodes, a deputy US national security advisor.

“He will be able to express US support for a post-Kadhafi transition in Libya and discuss the (NTC’s) plans for a post Kadhafi transition.”

Obama will then take place in a high-level international and multilateral meeting on Libya hosted by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Rhodes said.

“This will involve many leaders who will express their support for Libya,” Rhodes said.

The ouster of Kadhafi, after a NATO military operation supporting the rebels and to protect civilians will be hailed as a much needed success for trans Atlantic foreign policy in and around the annual United Nations meeting.

Obama will also meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron, who led the call for NATO action in Libya, and got a hero’s welcome during a joint trip to the country on Thursday.

On the first visit by two foreign leaders to Libya since Kadhafi was overthrown, Cameron and Sarkozy saluted the country’s new freedom but warned that Kadhafi remained a danger.