Issuing a fresh ultimatum to Muammar Gaddafi, the US President, Mr Barack Obama, has said the Libyan leader needs to leave as he has “lost legitimacy’’.

“Mr Gaddafi has lost legitimacy and he needs to leave,” Mr Obama said in a joint media availability with the visiting Danish Prime Minister, Mr Lars Lokke Rasmussen, at the White House.

The US President said he and Mr Rasmussen agree that international community have to speak firmly against any violence that’s directed at civilians.

“We have to make sure to provide humanitarian assistance, both inside of Libya as well as along the border regions where so many people have left; and that it’s going to be very important for us to look at a wide range of options that continue to tighten the noose around Mr Gaddafi and apply additional pressure,” he said.

“So we will be continuing to coordinate closely both through NATO as well as the UN and other international fora to look at every single option that’s available to us in bringing about a better outcome for the Libyan people,” Mr Obama said.

Condemning the violent repression of the Libyan people, Mr Rasmussen said European leaders gathered last Friday and sent a very strong signal to Mr Gaddafi.

“He should be history. He has lost his legitimacy, as you (Obama) just mentioned. I think it’s important that the international society examine all options to protect the Libyan people,” he said.

“Fortunately, change is going on in other countries in the Middle East and North Africa as well, and we had an opportunity to discuss it’s basically a very positive transition in Egypt and Tunisia,” the Prime Minister said.

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