British Prime Minister David Cameron said today that the "time for action has come" on Libya, and "it needs to be urgent", after talks with other world leaders in Paris.

"Colonel (Muammar) Gaddafi has made this happen. He has lied to the international community, he has promised a ceasefire, he has broken that ceasefire. He continues to brutalise his own people," Cameron told British television.

"And so the time for action has come. It needs to be urgent. We have to enforce the will of the United Nations and we cannot allow the slaughter of civilians to continue."

Cameron was speaking from Paris where US, European and Arab leaders had gathered to discuss Libya following the United Nations resolution demanding a ceasefire and approving a no-fly zone.

The British premier said it was "a successful coming together of countries including Arab countries who want to enforce the will of the United Nations".

"What is absolutely clear today is that Colonel Gaddafi has broken his word, has broken the ceasefire and continues to slaughter his own civilians," he said.

"This has to stop. We have to make it stop, we have to make him face the consequences.

"I think it is vitally important that action takes place, that action takes place urgently."

He added that "of course there are dangers, there are difficulties, there will always be unforeseen consequences from taking action."

"But it is better to take this action than to risk the consequences of inaction, which is a further slaughter of civilians and this dictator completely flouting the United Nations and its will," he said.