3 more EU nations recognise Libya rebels

Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands recognise the opposition National Transitional Council as the Libyan people's legitimate representative, the Belgian foreign minister said Wednesday. "We recognise the NTC as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people during the transition period," Steven Vanackere told reporters before meeting with a rebel delegation along with his Dutch and Luxembourg counterparts. The delegation, led by NTC leader Mahmud Jibril, held talks earlier Wednesday with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and the alliance's 28 ambassadors at NATO headquarters. Jibril was due to meet with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso later in the day. France, which has spearheaded NATO-led air strikes against Moamer Kadhafi's regime, was the first EU nation to recognise the rebel movement as the legitimate representatives of Libya. Several other nations, including Italy, Germany and Britain, as well as NATO allies the United States and Turkey, have since followed suit.