Spain Says Libya Military Intervention Must Be 'Last Resort'

Any military intervention in Libya should be the "last resort" and with the approval of the United Nations, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Tuesday.

"Before any possible intervention in Libya, we must note the principles to follow, firstly the (approval of the U.N.) Security Council," he said.

"Any intervention should be a last resort," he told a joint news conference with visiting Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.

Western powers meet in Brussels from Thursday to assess their options for military intervention in Libya as the country slides into civil war.

Top of the talks will be a British-French call for a no-fly zone over Libya which could go before the Security Council as early as this week.

Other options include arming the rebels and strangling Gadhafi financially by tightening sanctions.

The New York Times reported Sunday that U.S. defense planners were preparing a range of land, sea and air military options in Libya in case Washington and its allies decide to intervene there.