[JURIST] Libyan leaders, including National Transitional Council (NTC) [official website] Chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil [BBC profile], met Sunday to begin a discussion regarding the formation of the country’s interim government. During the meeting, which is set to last three days, the leaders are expected to work out the details of the new government [CNN report] and the positions therein, which will include a premier, vice premier and 22 ministers. Meanwhile, the NTC’s troops continue to scour the country looking for ex-colonel Muammar Gaddafi [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], who has publicly announced his refusal to surrender. Leaders of the international community who helped oust Gaddafi have pledged economic and military support [Bloomberg report] to the new Libyan administration.

Libyan leaders continue to make progress within the international community. Last week, the new ruling regime vowed to investigate allegations of human rights abuses after the World Bank [official website] recognized the NTC [JURIST report] as the official government of Libya. The NTC was responding to an Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] report alleging that both sides [JURIST report] of the Libya conflict [JURIST backgrounder] are responsible for human rights abuses, and warning the NTC to act quickly to investigate these allegations. The World Bank said it would engage the NTC as the official Libya government [press release] and is helping to rebuild the economy and infrastructure of the nation. Additionally, during a meeting earlier this month chaired by French President Nicholas Sarkozy [BBC profile], the NTC assured world leaders [JURIST report] that Libya will be a society of tolerance and respect for the rule of law.