Britain to offer Libya’s opposition police uniforms, help with radio station

<p>LONDON – Britain will supply police officers in rebel-held eastern Libya with uniforms and body armour, and help establish a public radio station, Prime Minister David Cameron’s office said Thursday.</p> <p>Following talks with Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, head of Libya’s National Transitional Council, Cameron said he had invited the rebels to open a permanent office in London to cement contacts with Britain.</p> <p>However, the U.K. has not followed France and Italy in recognizing the council as Libya’s legitimate government.</p> <p>”These steps continue our very clear intention to work with the council to ensure Libya has a safe and stable future, free from the tyranny of the Gadhafi regime,” Cameron said, following talks at his Downing Street residence.</p> <p>Cameron’s office said Britain would supply more non-lethal equipment, after the U.K. previously sent the rebels radios and body armour. Military mentors have also travelled to Benghazi to help organize the rebels.</p> <p>”He said that we would be providing additional support … things like police body armour, and also includes help and advice on setting up an independent broadcasting service,” Cameron’s spokesman Steve Field said.</p> <p>Britain has led attempts to impose sanctions against Libya’s state television service.</p> <p>Field said Jalil and Cameron agreed that NATO’s campaign of airstrikes was limiting Gadhafi’s ability to strike out at his opponents. “The clear sense from the meeting today was that it is having an effect,” he said.</p> <p>Jalil was also meeting later with Foreign Secretary William Hague, Treasury chief George Osborne, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell.</p>