Still, the summit left a number of important questions open: Nations didn't discuss whether or not they should — or legally can — supply weapons to Libya's rebel fighters. There was also no open discussion of how to lure Gadhafi into exile and Qatar gave few details on its offer to help rebels sell crude oil on the international market.
British diplomats also acknowledged there was no decision about the makeup of the contact group, though its first meeting is expected in Qatar in two weeks.
In Washington, Adm. James Stavridis, the NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, told Congress that officials have seen "flickers" of possible al-Qaida and Hezbollah involvement among the rebel forces.
Some officials attending the London meeting acknowledged they had little knowledge of the opposition figures, including some on the 33-member interim council.
However, Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez discounted the concerns, saying there was little evidence of al-Qaida involvement in the Libyan opposition.
"When the first demonstrations and revolutions started in Tunisia and Egypt there was also speculation about who would join the street demonstrations," Jimenez said. "The reality was that the vast majority were demanding more democracy, more freedom and more rights. That is the impression we also have in Libya."
Despite those worries, Clinton and Juppe both hinted that the international community may need to consider offering weapons to the rebels.
"It is our interpretation that (UN Security Council resolution) 1973 amended or overrode the absolute prohibition on arms to anyone in Libya, so that there could be a legitimate transfer of arms if a country should choose to do that," Clinton said.
Jimenez disagreed, saying the arms embargo applies to all those involved in fighting and suggested that any decision to arm the rebels would require a new U.N. resolution.
Mahmoud Shammam, a spokesman for the Libyan opposition, told reporters in London that, properly equipped, rebels "would finish Gadhafi in a few days."
"We do not have arms. We ask for the political support more than we are asking for the arms, but if we get both that would be great," Shammam said.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jabr al-Thani said the issue could be addressed later if the aerial campaign falls short of its goal of protecting Libyan civilians.
"We have to evaluate the airstrike after a while to see if it's effective," he said. "We are not inviting any military ground (troops) ... But we have to evaluate the situation because we cannot let the people suffer for so long. We have to find a way to stop this bloodshed."
Opening the talks, Cameron told diplomats that Gadhafi was pounding Misrata, the main rebel holdout in the west, with attacks from land and sea, and unleashing snipers to shoot people in the streets. The Libyan leader "has cut off food, water and electricity to starve them into submission," he said.
"The reason for being here is because the Libyan people cannot reach their future on their own," Cameron said. "We are all here in one united purpose, that is to help the Libyan people in their hour of need."
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