Libyan rebel leader to meet Sarkozy in Paris

[August 24, 2011]  PARIS (AP) -- The head of Libya's opposition government is traveling to France and will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has championed the drive to oust Moammar Gadhafi.

Sarkozy's office says in a statement that the French leader will meet Wednesday evening with Mahmoud Jibril, head of the rebels' acting Cabinet.

The statement said talks will focus on "the situation in Libya and the international community's actions to support the political transition to a free and democratic Libya."

France was the first country to recognize Jibril's government and has been a driver of the NATO airstrike campaign against Gadhafi's forces.

A defiant Gadhafi vowed Wednesday to fight on after hundreds of Libyan rebels stormed his compound in Tripoli but did not find the longtime leader.

[Associated Press]

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