David Cameron was looking increasingly isolated last night over his call for the international community to impose a no-fly zone over Libya.
The Prime Minister told MPs on Monday that he wanted Britain and its allies to look at enforcing a ban on flights over Libya to put pressure on Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, meaning British forces would have to commit to shooting down any Libyan aircraft that breached the zone.
Other countries were lukewarm about Mr Cameron’s call, with Russia opposing it outright and France publicly questioning the wisdom of it.
The US distanced itself from the plan, while Turkey said Nato intervention in the north African country would be “unthinkable”.
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said a no-fly zone was “superfluous” and that world powers must focus on fully using United Nations sanctions. Russia’s consent is required for any backing from the UN because it is a veto-holding member of the Security Council.
Laurent Wauquiez, France’s minister for European affairs, said: “How would it be perceived? Would it not be turned back against us, with people saying: 'The West is attacking because Libya has oil?’
