UN recognises Libyan rebel rule

The United Nations General Assembly voted yesterday to give Libya’s seat in the world body to the former rebels’ National Transitional Council, which led the uprising that ousted Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi.

It means that the NTC will be able to speak for Libya at next week’s ministerial meeting in New York.

The resolution was approved by a vote of 114-17 with 15 abstentions. A group of Latin American governments opposed giving the seat to the former rebel forces, with Venezuela accusing Nato forces of carrying out “criminal air raids... in order to install a puppet government.” Southern Africa’s regional bloc also opposed the move but failed to delay the vote.