No recognition yet for Libyan rebel council

Malta has not yet replied to a request by the rebel council in Benghazi to be recognised as the official representative of the Libyan people, the foreign ministry said yesterday.

“There are no new developments yet,” a spokesman said when asked whether Malta will be officially recognising the rebel council.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg will today attend the London conference on Libya organised by the British Foreign Office and it is unclear whether official recognition of the rebel council will be on the agenda.

France is the only European country to have officially recognised the Libyan Interim Transitional National Council as Libya’s legitimate government and in a council meeting earlier this month the EU left the issue of recognition up to the individual member states.

The rebel council was set up on February 17 and brings together a number of representatives from various parts of Libya who have supported the uprising against Col Muammar Gaddafi. It is headed by former justice minister Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who deserted the Libyan regime early in the conflict.

Today’s London conference, hosted by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, will bring together the allies that are enforcing the UN no-fly zone over Libya and a number of countries in the region.

When announcing the conference last week, Mr Hague said it will discuss the situation in Libya and take stock of the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution.

“We will consider the humanitarian needs of the Libyan people and identify ways to support the people of Libya in their aspirations for a better future,” Mr Hague had said.