By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Washington : US President Barack Obama and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have agreed to increase military pressure on Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, the White House said in a statement.
Berlusconi called Obama Monday informing the US president of his decision to provide additional military support to NATO operation in Libya by authorising air-to-ground strikes on pro-Gaddafi targets.
“The two leaders agreed that additional pressure is necessary to strengthen the civilian protection mission, and President [Obama] emphasised that the best way to ensure the safety of the Libyan people is for Gaddafi to leave power,” the statement said.
The statement added that President Obama “welcomed Italy’s role in hosting the next meeting of the Libya Contact Group May 5 in Rome, where the international community will discuss how to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the Gaddafi regime and provide additional support to the Transitional National Council.”
NATO has been bombarding Gaddafi’s forces under a UN-mandated no-fly zone to protect civilians. The alliance said it had stepped up strikes around Tripoli and four other cities in recent days.