British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy Thursday visited the east city of Benghazi in Libya to show their supports for the National Transitional Council (NTC).

Cameron told a cheering crowd that "the people of Britain salute your courage" at the Tahrir Square in Benghazi, the cradle of the unrest that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

He said the people in Britain and France will assist the Libyan people in building their country for the future, Xinhua reported.

Sarkozy called for a united Libya in dressing the Libyan people.

Cameron and Sarkozy had arrived in the Libyan capital of Tripoli Thursday and held a joint press conference earlier in the day with head of the NTC executive office Mahmoud Jibril and Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil.

At the conference, Jibril said that both Cameron and Sarkozy have pledged continued protection of the Libyan civilians, assistance in border surveillance, and releasing the frozen Libyan assets, according to Xinhua.

Jalil appreciated the supports from Britain and France and thanked the positions held by the two countries. He said he is pleased with Cameron and Sarkozy's visits.

Cameron said that NATO will keep on its mission until the civilians are protected and the work completed.

He vowed that his countries will help the Libyans hunt down Gaddafi whose whereabouts remain unknown.

He said Britain has started the process to release the frozen Libyan assets and will also assist in rebuilding Libya and restoring stability among others.

The British government would manage to release 12 billion pounds (about US$19 billion) in Libyan assets as soon as a UN Security Council resolution on Libya was passed, he said.

A spokesperson for Cameron's office also said the country will unfreeze another 600 million pounds (US$944 million) of Libyan assets, aiming at supporting the new leadership in Libya.

Sarkozy vowed that as long as peace is threatened in Libya, France is by the side of the Libyan people.

"You can count on our friendship and admiration," he said.

Sarkozy added that the Libyan people must know those who committed crimes must face prosecution, Xinhua reported.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr are also scheduled to visit Libya at a later time.

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