You're reading: World leaders gather in critical Libya talks

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister David Cameron have arrived for talks with France's president ahead of a multi-nation summit over the crisis in Moammar Gadhafi's Libya.

Clinton and Cameron were meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy as Gadhafi’s forces swarmed into the one-time rebel stronghold of Benghazi — apparently ignoring an announced cease-fire by Gadhafi’s regime.

The Saturday meeting took shape further shortly before it was to begin: The African Union was not attending, as had previously been expected, while the Iraqi foreign minister was among those announced as late participants.

French officials have said that they expect military action could begin within hours after the meeting — but the outcome remained uncertain and it was not clear what effect developments on the ground might have.