Foreign Secretary William Hague has said it is time for Muammar Gaddafi to stop issuing “delusional” statements and stand down.
“He should be telling his dwindling and remaining forces to stand down”, he said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Hague's comments came after Gaddafi released an audio clip calling on his supporters to fight the rebels that have taken over 90 per cent of the Libyan capital Tripoli.
"The NTC [National Transitional Council] are approaching this absolutely in the right spirit and with the right statements, pointing to an inclusive interim government and a clear political process for the future in Libya, and we welcome the fact that they have stated their intention to move some of their officials to Tripoli as soon as possible”, Hague continued.
He said Britain would be “highly, actively engaged” in Nato operations, which would continue as long as Libyan people needed protecting.
Hague also outlined how the UK would also help with the supply of humanitarian equipment, saying:
"There’s a lot to do, and there will continue to be a lot to do over the coming weeks and months. This will remain a difficult situation for some time and Britain will show the same patient strength in helping the people of Libya that we have shown over the last five months.”
The foreign secretary added that he was not sure how long the “death throes" of Gaddafi’s regime would last.