Harper to attend summit on Libya's future

Prime Minister Stephen Harper says he will attend a meeting of leaders in Paris next week to discuss the future of a Libya post-Gadhafi.

Fighters opposing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi made dramatic gains in the capital of Tripoli earlier this week before overruning Gadhafi's compound. Gadhafi has not be located, but his support appears to have collapsed.

The meeting next Thursday, hosted by Britain and France and being called the Friends of Libya, will include leadersfrom nations thathelped enforced the UN no-fly zone over Libya, along with Russia andChina. The leadership of Libyan National Transitional Council are also expected to attend.

The Prime Minister's Office told reporters travelling with Harper on his annual Arctic tour Friday that the prime minister will attend the Paris meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird. Baird travelled to Libya last month and met with representitives of the opposition Libya council.

Harper attended a hastily-convened summit with other world leaders in mid-March after announcing Canada would join its NATO partners and deploy CF-18s to enforce a UN no-fly zone.

Ottawa has recognized the NTC as the representitive of the Libyan people, andon Thursdayofficially welcomed its envoy to Canada.