“We respect the UN resolution and there is no conflict with it, especially as it indicated there would be no invasion but that it would protect civilians from what they are subject to in Benghazi,” he said.

The UN-mandated intervention to protect civilians caught up in a one-month-old revolt against Muammar Gadhafi had drawn comments from Moussa on Sunday suggesting he questioned the need for a heavy bombardment that he said had killed many civilians.

“It is for protecting civilians and that is what we care about,” Moussa said, speaking at Arab League headquarters in Cairo.