Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan appealed to the United Nations Security Council Saturday to avoid imposing sanctions aganst Libya, saying they would do no good. The Council overrode his objections, however, unanimously approving a resolution to impose sanctions against Libya as a means of forcing dictator Muammar Qaddafi to step down.

Erdogan accused the international body of being concerned primarily with Libya's oil supply, rather than its people.

“The people are already struggling to find food, how will you feed the Libyan people? Sanctions, an intervention, would force the Libyan people, who are already up against hunger and violence, into a more desperate situation,” Erdogan warned. “We call on the international community to act with conscience, justice, laws and universal humane values – not out of oil concerns.”

The U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva also called on Friday for an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Libya. In addition, the world body recommended that Libya's UNHRC membership be suspended.

US Sanctions - EU, Canada Next?
The United States, meanwhile, approved its own sanctions against Qaddafi and his family on Friday. President Barack Obama signed an executive order freezing the U.S.-based assets of the Libyan leader and four of his children.

In addition, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his country was in the process of enacting sanctions against Qaddafi's regime.

The European Union is considering a similar move. Christoph Steegmans, spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said in a statement that Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron both agreed in a phone conversation on Saturday to support sanctions by the EU against Libya.

The two also expressed their firm support for sanctions against the Libyan dictator by the U.N. Security Council.

UK, US Embassy Staff Flee Libya
Two British military planes rescued more than 150 civilians Saturday from the Libyan desert, according to a report from London.

Britain's Foreign Office also issued a statement Saturday saying it has temporarily suspended operations at its embassy in the capital. UK interests will be represented by the Turkish government until further notice, Associated Press reported, although British Consul Lauren Johnstone remained in Tripoli. Most of the embassy staff left Saturday.

A final flight carrying U.S. citizens departed from Tripoli on Friday, removing the last of America's embassy staff as well. As with the UK embassy, the American embassy in the Libyan capital was also closed until further notice.

Libyan Interim Government Formed
Meanwhile, an ex-minister has taken steps to form an interim government, albeit outside the capital and out of harm's way, according to the website of the Quryna newspaper, quoted by Reuters

Former Libyan Justice Minister Mustafa Mohamed Abud Ajleil has allegedly formed an interim government in the city of Benghazi.

The newspaper quoted Ajleil as saying he held Qaddafi alone responsible “for the crimes that have occurred” in Libya. The dictator's tribe, Qaddadfa, he reportedly said, was forgiven.