US RECOGNIZES REBELS AS LIBYA’S LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT

DINA AL-SHIBEEB, AL ARABIYA WITH AGENCIES

The United States formally recognized Libya’s rebel opposition as the legitimate government on Friday, an
important diplomatic step which could unlock billions of dollars in frozen Libyan funds. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Washington’s move at an Istanbul conference, which also agreed a road map whereby Muammar Qaddafi should relinquish power and plans for Libya’s transition to democracy under the rebel National Transitional Council (TNC). “Until an interim authority is in place, the United States will recognize the TNC as the legitimate governing authority for Libya, and we will deal with it on that basis,” Mrs. Clinton said in prepared remarks. On Friday, the Libya contact group also recognized the rebel council as the country’s “legitimate governmental authority,” according to a statement seen by AFP.

She also said that the Libya council has given assurances on transparency and democratic reforms, and that the ceasefire terms clear, must involve Mr. Qaddafi’s departure

The group of major Western and regional powers also urged “all relevant parties” to make efforts “for the formation of an interim government to ensure a smooth and peaceful transition of power,” said the statement, to be formally issued at the end of a meeting in Istanbul later Friday.

Now, more than 30 nations declared Qaddafi’s regime in Libya is no longer legitimate.

The fourth meeting of the Libya contact group in Istanbul saw fresh calls for Mr. Qaddafi to quit after more than four decades in power.

But in a sign of some of the tensions between the allies, Libya’s former colonial rulers Italy warned against any backdoor negotiations with the Qaddafi regime, saying any such move was counter-productive.

With Mr. Qaddafi hanging on in Tripoli despite almost four months of NATO-led bombings, the rebels Thursday launched an offensive on the oil town of Brega, hoping they can dislodge loyalist troops and win a key strategic victory.

Mrs. Clinton, her counterparts William Hague of Britain, Alain Juppé of France and Franco Frattini of Italy as well as NATO secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen were among officials from some 40 countries and international organizations attending the talks.

Mr. Frattini revealed that Italy had decided to unfreeze some 100 million Euros that would now be handed to the rebels and that a further 300 million Euros would follow.

But in an apparent rebuke to Paris, he insisted that secret talks to end the conflict were counter-productive.

Turkey, NATO’s sole Muslim-majority member, appealed on partners to issue loans to the opposition and increase humanitarian assistance ahead of the upcoming holy Muslim month of Ramadan, using frozen Libyan funds.

Turkey invited Russia and China to join the meeting, but both countries, critical of the NATO-led campaign, turned down the offer.

(Dina Al-Shibeeb, a senior editor at Al Arabiya English, can be reached at: dina.ibrahim@mbc.net)