U.S., allies formally recognize Libya rebels
Gadhafi regime declared no longer legitimate
ISTANBUL (AP) - The United States and more than 30 other nations on Friday formally recognized
Libya's main opposition group as the country's legitimate government, giving the rebel movement a major boost.
The decision, which declared Libyan leader
Moammar Gadhafi's regime no longer legitimate, gives his foes greater credibility and will potentially free up billions in cash that the rebels fighting Libyan forces urgently need.
The front lines in the Libyan civil war have largely stagnated since the popular uprising seeking to oust
Gadhafi broke out in February. Rebels, backed by
NATO's air force bombings, control much of the country's east and pockets in the west. But
Gadhafi controls the rest from his stronghold in Tripoli, the capital.
Foreign ministers and other representatives of the so-called Contact Group on
Libya said in a statement Friday that the "
Gadhafi regime no longer has any legitimate authority in
Libya." They said the Libyan strongman and certain members of his family must go.
"The Contact Group has sent an unequivocal message to
Gadhafi: that he has no legitimacy and there is no future for
Libya with him in power. He must go and go now," said
British Foreign Secretary
William Hague.
The nations said they would deal with
Libya's main opposition group - the
National Transitional Council, or
NTC - as "the legitimate governing authority in
Libya" until an interim authority is in place that will organize free and fair elections.
In addition to the U.S., the 32-nation Contact Group on
Libya includes members of
NATO, the
European Union and the
Arab League.
Diplomatic recognition of the foes of Gadafi means that the U.S. will soon be able to fund the opposition with some of the more than $30 billion in Gahdafi-regime assets that are frozen in American banks. Other countries holding billions more in such assets will be able to do the same.
Contact Group representatives broke into spontaneous applause when U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton announced her nation's recognition of the
NTC, according to U.S. officials.
Rebel spokesman
Mahmoud Shammam welcomed the
NTC's recognition and called on other nations to deliver on a promise to release hundreds of millions of dollars in funds to the opposition. "Funds, funds, funds,"
Shammam said, in order to stress the opposition's demand. It remained unclear Friday whether the unfrozen assets could be used to purchase arms, or if some restrictions would still apply.