France first to recognise Libyan rebels as "legitimate representatives of the people": Difference between revisions
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[[France]] became the first country to formally recognize a newly formed [[Libya|Libyan]] opposition council as the "legitimate representative of the Libyan people." The office of [[w:Nicolas Sarkozy|French President Nicolas Sarkozy]] said on Thursday it will send [[w:ambassador|ambassadors]] to the rebel stronghold in [[w:Benghazi|Benghazi]], and in return the Libyan opposition council will set up an [[w:embassy|embassy]] in [[Paris]]. Rebel leaders rejoiced over France's decision to endorse their transitional government.
The decision was made after President Sarkozy met with two representatives of the opposition group, the [[w:National Transitional Council|National Libyan Council]] (NLC), in [[Paris]]. Mustafa Gheriani, a representative for the Libyan opposition, said he expected other [[EU]] members to follow Sarkozy's lead. Other EU members expressed uneasiness, and declined to meet with the two representatives.
Although the EU has approved tighter sanctions in response to [[Muammar Gaddafi]]'s [[w:Timeline of 2011 Libyan uprising|bloody crackdown on the opposition]], EU members held back from endorsing a specific opposition group. [[w:Dutch people|Dutch]] Foreign Minister [[w:Uri Rosenthal|Uri Rosenthal]], whose government still maintains an embassy in [[Tripoli]], cautioned, "There is not yet enough clarity about these opposition groups in and around Benghazi". [[w:Catherine Ashton|Baroness Ashton]], spokesman for the EU foreign affairs chief, stated: "We cannot unilaterally rush into recognising groups." Other members expressed the need for the EU to speak in a unified voice.
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