France to hold int'l meeting on Libya in Paris

France proposed to hold a high-level meeting gathering the contact group over Libya in Paris next week, the Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Monday. "France proposed an extraordinary meeting of the contact group at the highest level next week in Paris," Juppe announced during a press conference. The minister called on pro-Gaddafi forces to "stop fighting to save human lives," stressing that the days of Gaddafi's regime "are numbered." "France wants the international community to accompany the new Libyan authorities", Juppe added. His remarks came amid a massive rebel offensive which saw rebel forces push into the heart of Tripoli Monday morning, breaking a months-long stalemate with forces loyal to Gaddafi. On Sunday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a statement calling Gaddafi to give up his resting power immediately to avoid meaningless suffering of Libyan people. France initiated air strikes of the coalition force against Gaddafi's troops in March and was the first to recognize the rebel's authority, the National Transition Council, as representative of Libya.