US President Barack Obama has said Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi must obey the UN's demands or face military action.
He said Thursday's UN Security Council resolution, which demanded an immediate ceasefire, was not negotiable.
He said the entire region could be destabilised if Col Gaddafi was allowed to continue attacking his own people.
Earlier, the Libyan government announced an immediate ceasefire and promised to follow the UN resolution.
Mr Obama said Col Gaddafi's troops must pull back from rebel-held towns including Benghazi, and the authorities must allow in humanitarian aid.
"If he does not comply, the international community will impose consequences," said Mr Obama. "The resolution will be enforced by military action."
But the US president stressed that the initiative was an international effort.
"The United States is not going to deploy ground troops into Libya and we're not going to use force to go beyond a well-defined goal, specifically the protection of civilians in Libya," he said.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to France for a meeting with her European counterparts on Saturday to discuss how to enforce the UN resolution.
'Actions not words'
On Thursday, the UN Security Council voted to strengthen a previous resolution.
It agreed to impose a no-fly zone, expand existing sanctions, and endorse the use of force short of an occupation of the country to protect civilians.
Hours later, Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa said his country was obliged to accept the UN resolution and to observe the air exclusion zone.
"Libya has decided an immediate ceasefire and an immediate halt to all military operations," he said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would judge Col Gaddafi "by his actions not his words".
"What is absolutely clear is the UN Security Council resolution said he must stop what he is doing, brutalising his people," Mr Cameron told the BBC. "If not, all necessary measures can follow to make him stop."
The British and French, along with some Arab allies, are expected to play a leading role in any initial air strikes.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said everything was ready to launch military strikes, and that a ceasefire would need to cover the whole country.
"We have to analyse the conditions of the ceasefire," he told Reuters TV, adding that this would be examined at a summit in Paris on Saturday.
The announcement of a ceasefire was dismissed by a rebel commander in the eastern city of Benghazi, an anti-Gaddafi stronghold, who accused the Libyan leader of "bluffing".
Khalifa Heftir told reporters: "Gaddafi does not speak any truth ... All the world knows that Muammar Gaddafi is a liar. He and his sons, and his family, and all those with him are liars."
'Strong message'
The 15-member UN Security Council approved the resolution on Libya late on Thursday with 10 votes in favour, none against and five abstentions.
Russia and China - which often oppose the use of force against a sovereign country as they believe it sets a dangerous precedent - abstained rather than using their power of veto as permanent members.
If there is opposition to the regime in Tripoli, it has been silenced, either by fear, or by the prevailing atmosphere of patriotism, reports the BBC's Allan Little from the capital.
There is dismay and anger at the UN decision, adds our correspondent, with many seeing the rebellion in the east not as a popular uprising against dictatorship but as a criminal enterprise supported by foreign powers and aimed at plundering Libya's oil.
Col Gaddafi has ruled Libya for more than 40 years. An uprising against him began last month after long-time leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt were toppled.
 President Obama: "American leadership is essential" |
He said the entire region could be destabilised if Col Gaddafi was allowed to continue attacking his own people.
Earlier, the Libyan government announced an immediate ceasefire and promised to follow the UN resolution.
Mr Obama said Col Gaddafi's troops must pull back from rebel-held towns including Benghazi, and the authorities must allow in humanitarian aid.
"If he does not comply, the international community will impose consequences," said Mr Obama. "The resolution will be enforced by military action."
But the US president stressed that the initiative was an international effort.
"The United States is not going to deploy ground troops into Libya and we're not going to use force to go beyond a well-defined goal, specifically the protection of civilians in Libya," he said.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to France for a meeting with her European counterparts on Saturday to discuss how to enforce the UN resolution.
'Actions not words'
On Thursday, the UN Security Council voted to strengthen a previous resolution.
It agreed to impose a no-fly zone, expand existing sanctions, and endorse the use of force short of an occupation of the country to protect civilians.
Hours later, Libyan Foreign Minister Mussa Kussa said his country was obliged to accept the UN resolution and to observe the air exclusion zone.
"Libya has decided an immediate ceasefire and an immediate halt to all military operations," he said.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain would judge Col Gaddafi "by his actions not his words".
"What is absolutely clear is the UN Security Council resolution said he must stop what he is doing, brutalising his people," Mr Cameron told the BBC. "If not, all necessary measures can follow to make him stop."
The British and French, along with some Arab allies, are expected to play a leading role in any initial air strikes.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said everything was ready to launch military strikes, and that a ceasefire would need to cover the whole country.
"We have to analyse the conditions of the ceasefire," he told Reuters TV, adding that this would be examined at a summit in Paris on Saturday.
The announcement of a ceasefire was dismissed by a rebel commander in the eastern city of Benghazi, an anti-Gaddafi stronghold, who accused the Libyan leader of "bluffing".
Khalifa Heftir told reporters: "Gaddafi does not speak any truth ... All the world knows that Muammar Gaddafi is a liar. He and his sons, and his family, and all those with him are liars."
'Strong message'
The 15-member UN Security Council approved the resolution on Libya late on Thursday with 10 votes in favour, none against and five abstentions.
Russia and China - which often oppose the use of force against a sovereign country as they believe it sets a dangerous precedent - abstained rather than using their power of veto as permanent members.
If there is opposition to the regime in Tripoli, it has been silenced, either by fear, or by the prevailing atmosphere of patriotism, reports the BBC's Allan Little from the capital.
There is dismay and anger at the UN decision, adds our correspondent, with many seeing the rebellion in the east not as a popular uprising against dictatorship but as a criminal enterprise supported by foreign powers and aimed at plundering Libya's oil.
Col Gaddafi has ruled Libya for more than 40 years. An uprising against him began last month after long-time leaders of neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt were toppled.
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