Chiefs or representatives of 61 Libyan tribes from across the country called for an end to Col Muammar Gaddafi's rule, in a joint statement released by French writer Bernard-Henri Levy.
Col Gaddafi has been urged to step down by tribal chiefs Photo: REUTERS
10:42AM BST 27 Apr 2011
"Faced with the threats weighing on the unity of our country, faced with the manoeuvres and propaganda of the dictator and his family, we solemnly declare: Nothing will divide us," said the text, drawn up in Benghazi on April 12.
"We share the same ideal of a free, democratic and united Libya," it said.
The African Union meanwhile urged an end to military actions targeting senior Libyan officials and key infrastructure, a statement said on Wednesday.
"Council urges all involved to refrain from actions, including military operations targeting Libyan senior officials and socio-economic infrastructure, that would further compound the situation and make it more difficult to achieve international consensus on the best way forward," the AU said.
The Pan-African body stressed the need for all the parties involved in the implementation of UN resolution 1973 on Libya "to act in a manner fully consistent with international legality and the resolution's provisions, whose objective is solely to ensure the protection of the civilian population."
On Monday allied warplanes struck Gaddafi's compound in Tripoli. Liam Fox, the defence secretary, and his US counterpart Robert Gates at a joint press conference on Tuesday said the choice of target was legitimate.
The AU statement said the body would look into convening an extraordinary meeting in May "to review the state of peace and security on the continent, in light of the new crises and threats to peace and security in Africa."
Libya's foreign minister on Tuesday asked the AU Peace and Security Council to convene an extraordinary summit to find ways for the continent to fight "external forces".
"My delegation proposes the holding as soon as possible of an extraordinary session of the assembly of the (African) Union to identify the ways that enable our continent to mobilise capabilities to face the external forces which aggress against us," Abdelati Obeidi said.
Talks at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa seeking a negotiated settlement to the Libyan conflict began on Monday and wound up late Tuesday.
The AU also called for an investigation into allegations mercenaries are being used in the conflict and renewed its call for all parties to respect international humanitarianlaw and to give humanitarian workers free access to those in need.
It condemned "attacks and other abuses directed at African migrant workers" and called for an immediate end to such attacks.
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