The UN Security Council reached agreement Wednesday on the text of a draft resolution on Libya, which will be put to a vote on Thursday, diplomats said.
The draft reolution orders a no-fly zone over Libya, but US envoy to the United Nations Susan Rice has said that may not be enough.
"We need to contemplate steps that involve but perhaps go beyond a no-fly zone," she told reporters.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Tunisia for the first visit by a senior US official to the country since its popular uprising two months ago, an AFP journalist said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Clinton, who made no statements on arrival at the military airport in Tunis, is due Thursday morning to meet interim President Foued Mebazaa and her counterpart Mouldi Kefi.
She is to meet interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi Thursday afternoon.
Clinton said on Wednesday she hopes the UN Security Council will vote on a new package of measures against Libya as early as Thursday that might include a no-fly zone.
"We are moving as rapidly as we can in New York to see whether we can get additional authorisation for the international community to look at a broad range of actions, not just a no-fly zone but other actions as well," Clinton said in Cairo.
