Governments have begun measures to freeze any Libyan assets they suspect are linked to Qadhafi's regime, which is battling an opposition revolt, but France's European affairs minister Laurent Wauquiez wants to go further.

"We need to turn off the tap in ensuring, first, that oil money does not go to Qadhafi and, secondly, that he can't sell off assets," he told RMC radio.

"France, on this point, is in favour of the European Union going further than it is so far planning to go," he said.

Wauquiez warned that the Libyan government owns stakes in several large European firms, and said it must not be allowed to offload shares in order to "hire mercenaries" to crack down on its own citizens.