Libya : A no lie zone

[Magda Hassan]

Perhaps a bit premature. :plane:

France recognises council
Earlier, France recognised the opposition National Council as the legitimate representatives of the Libyan people.

The move, which will see an ambassador sent to the rebel-held town of Benghazi in Libya's east, was announced during a meeting between envoys from the council and Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, in Paris on Thursday.

"France has recognised the national transition council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people," Ali al-Issawi, an envoy from the council said after the talks. The French presidency also issued a similar statement.

Al-Issawi added that the council would "open a diplomatic mission, that is our own embassy in Paris, and an ambassador from France will be sent to Benghazi".

"This ambassador will be in Benghazi for a transition period before returning to Tripoli."

Libyan state media said the country plans to cut ties with France in response to the announcement, adding a "grave secret" would prompt the fall of Sarkozy's government.
Khalid Kaim, Libya's deputy foreign minister, said on Thursday that his government may cut diplomatic ties with other countries that backed the rebels against the Gaddafi government.
Ahmed Shabani, a spokesman for the opposition council, told Al Jazeera the move was a "major step forward", but that more countries needed to follow suit.

'Gaddafi must go'

Tim Friend, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Paris, said the French announcement was a "very significant statement of intent which reinforces France's recognition that the Libyan transitional National Council is the legitimate body now representing Libya".

"I think France has gone further than anyone else so far in doing that," he said.
Opposition forces set up the National Council in Benghazi on February 27, weeks after a popular revolt against the 40-year rule of Muammar Gaddafi began in the country.

Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, has also urged partners in the European Union to follow suit and engage with Libyan opposition leaders.

Speaking after talks with Guido Westerwelle, his German counterpart, Juppe said: "We are on the same track to say Colonel Gaddafi is discredited, he must go, we must engage dialogue with the new Libyan representatives."
Following the French announcement, Luis Amado, the Portuguese foreign minister, said he had sent a message to Gaddafi saying his regime "is over".

"The message I sent was that the Gaddafi regime in our view is over, it's legitimacy is over," he said on Thursday.

Germany also announced that it has frozen Libyan government bank accounts held in the country, in line with UN sanctions agreed. Assets belonging to Gaddafi's government have already been frozen in Britain, Canada, the US and Switzerland.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe...05407.html