Libyan rebels win US recognition after five months fighting Gaddafi

Published on Friday 15 July 2011 18:46

Rebel leaders have won recognition as the legitimate government of Libya from the United States in a major boost to their faltering campaign to remove Muammar Gaddafi.

Western nations said they also planned to increase the military pressure on Gaddafi's forces to press him to give up power after 41 years at the head of the North African state.

Recognition of the rebels, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a meeting in Turkey of the international contact group on Libya yesterday, is an important diplomatic step which could unlock billions of dollars in frozen Libyan funds.

The decision comes as reports are circulating that Gaddafi has sent out emissaries seeking a negotiated end to the conflict, although he has remained defiant in his public utterances.

Last night the dictator rejected the recognition on state TV.

The Istanbul conference also agreed a road-map whereby Gaddafi should relinquish power and let Libya move to democracy under the rebel transitional national council (TNC).

"Until an interim authority is in place, the United States will recognise the TNC as the legitimate governing authority for Libya, and we will deal with it on that basis," Mrs Clinton said.

The decision to recognise the rebels, who have been waging a five-month military campaign against Gaddafi, meant the Libyan leader had no option but to stand down, Italy's foreign minister Franco Frattini said.

The statement added: "The formation of an interim government should be quickly followed by the convening of a national congress with representatives from all parts of Libya."

The UN Secretary-General's special envoy to Libya, Abdul Elah al-Khatib, will be authorised to present terms for Gaddafi to leave power, including a ceasefire, but British foreign minister William Hague said military action against Gaddafi would be stepped up at the same time.

The RAF announced yesterday it was to deploy an additional four Tornado reconnaissance aircraft to the Libyan operation.

Nato this week said Gaddafi's military assets were becoming hard to locate, as he hides them in civilian areas. A rebel spokesman said he did not expect a ceasefire until Gaddafi had been defeated and rejected suggestions of a pause in the fighting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins at the start of August.

Mahmud Shammam, press secretary for the TNC, said: "Prophet Muhammad had great battles during Ramadan in Mecca, so there is nothing religious that will keep us from fighting for our freedom."

Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said he hoped a political solution could emerge by the start of Ramadan.

He backed a rebel proposal for the release of frozen Libyan assets to alleviate a "grave" humanitarian situation during Ramadan in areas of Libya controlled by the rebels and by Gaddafi.