Libyan rebels are to open an office in London as part of renewed efforts to rally international support behind their fight to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi, British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday.

After meeting rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Cameron said other countries must step up the financial and military pressure to force Gaddafi to stand down.

"The government is today inviting the council to establish a formal office here in London," Cameron told reporters. "We will work with you to ensure that the international community increases the diplomatic, the economic and the military pressure on this bankrupt regime."

The rebels are fighting to end Gaddafi's 41 years in power, but the war has reached stalemate with Gaddafi controlling the capital and almost all of western Libya, while rebels have Benghazi and other towns in the oil-producing east.

Britain will bolster its diplomatic team in eastern Libya by appointing former ambassador to Iraq John Jenkins to lead its delegation there, Cameron added.

Britain will also send several million pounds worth of equipment to the police in Benghazi and provide support to improve the rebels' public broadcasting capability, he added.

Abdel Jalil said he had travelled to Britain with other officials to thank the people and government for "their disciplined and moral stance".

Last week, Western and Arab countries opposed to Gaddafi agreed in Rome to set up a fund, the so-called Temporary Financial Mechanism, to help the rebels, who say they need between $2 billion and $3 billion in immediate aid. – Reuters