World powers including the US are ready to consider demands from Libya's new unity government for exemptions from a UN arms embargo to help take control of the country, US Secretary of State John Kerry said.
The West is counting on the UN-backed unity government to tackle the so-called Islamic State group in Libya and stop new flows of migrants heading across the Mediterranean.
Speaking after a meeting of ministers in Vienna, Fayaz Seraj, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA), said that with his administration now taking shape, he would be giving a list of weapons to relevant authorities "as soon as possible".
International powers have repeatedly said they would support Libyan efforts once a unity government was in place and had made its demands clear.
Mr Kerry said such a request made sense but would need to be "carefully sculpted".
"It's a delicate balance, but all of us here are supportive of the fact that if you have a legitimate government and the legitimate government is struggling against terrorism, that legitimate government should not be made the prisoner, or should not be victimised, by virtue of the UN action," he said.
The Libyan government is allowed to import weapons and related materiel with the approval of a UN Security Council committee overseeing the embargo imposed in 2011.
In March last year, eight Security Council members delayed approval of a request by Libya to import weapons, tanks, jets and helicopters to take on Islamic State militants.
UN sanctions monitors told the Security Council committee they were concerned that, if the request was approved, some of the weapons and equipment could be diverted to militia groups.
Sanctions were renewed this March.
Major world powers are banking on the GNA, which arrived in Tripoli on 30 March, to end the violent chaos that Libyans have endured since Muammar Gaddafi's fall five years ago.
