France and Britain said they favour targeted strikes in Libya in case Libyan leader Moamar Kaddafi uses chemical wepaons or air strikes against his people, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday at an EU special summit on the Libyan crisis.
Sarkozy said Paris had "many reservations" on military or NATO intervention in Libya "because Arab revolutions belong to Arabs".
The French president and British Prime Minister David Cameron were "ready, on condition that the UN wishes, that the Arab League accepts and (that) the Libyan opposition which we hope to see recognized, agrees, for targeted actions if Kaddafi uses chemical weapons or air power against peaceful citizens".
But EU member states appeared to be divided on the idea.
The two leaders also urged their EU partners to extend formal recognition to Libya's opposition.
"We are going to step up today measures in the European Council (summit) to put pressure on that regime, measures to isolate that regime," Cameron said.
"We should also plan for every eventuality," he said. "This is absolutely vital."
France on Thursday became the first country to recognize the Libyan rebels as the country's rightful representatives, sparking surprise among some of its European partners, including Germany.
"France asks Europe to reaffirm its common desire for Kaddafi to go and to recognize the Libyan authorities under the Libyan National Council," Sarkozy said.
In a draft document circulating at the summit, the EU leaders call on the Libyan leader to "relinquish power immediately".
Britain and France have also drafted a resolution to take to the UN calling for a no-fly zone to be put in place over Libya, to prevent Kaddafi troops launching attacks on civilians from the air.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said there was "no rush to move forward" on the proposal for a no-fly without first securing a UN resolution.
She added that the EU had to work closely with the Middle East and North African region in deciding on what approach to take and that "the Arab world has to lead".