Italy said today it was recognising the Benghazi-based Libyan National Council as the only representative of Libya.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the Gaddafi governemnt had lost its legitimacy.

He said any solution for the future of Libya had the pre-condition that Col Muammar Gaddafi and his family had to leave Libya.

The Libyan regime, he said, was sending envoys to Greece and Malta to make proposals.

"These proposals are not credible," Mr Frattini said.

He said he had spoken to the Greek Foreign Minister who had described what he had been told by the Libyan envoy.

Nothing was said about the departure of Gaddafi, which is a pre-condition, Mr Frattini said. Therefore it is not possible to accept the proposals.

Mr Frattini said Italy was opening a representative office in Benghazi.

"This is the starting point for revitalising existing treaties with Libya," he said.