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LIBYA: Washington fails to recognize diplomatically the CNT

AFP - The United States abstained Friday diplomatically recognize the National Transitional Council (CNT), the governing body of the Libyan rebels, while holding the "legitimate and credible" during the visit of its leader Mahmoud Jibril to White House.

Counsel to the President Barack Obama to national security, Tom Donilon said during this visit that "the United States considers the CNT as a legitimate and credible interlocutor (representing) the Libyan people," according to a press the American presidency.

Thursday, interviewed on CNN, Mr.Jibril told to wait his talks at the White House that the United States officially recognize the rebels in Libya.

Mr. Donilon reiterated the position of President Obama according to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi "has lost its legitimacy" and "must relinquish power immediately."

The American Council also "welcomed the commitment of the TNC for a transition of a pluralistic and democratic future in Libya."

The visit of Mr.Jibril to the White House was the culmination of a trip to the United States in the form of call for help for insurgents running out of money.

Before Mr. Donilon, who serves as chief diplomat of the rebellion of Benghazi (east) saw Jim Steinberg, Deputy Principal Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"They talked about the need to make funds available to relieve the suffering of Libyans and meet the operational needs of the opposition," reported Mark Toner, spokesman for the State Department.

Since Wednesday, Mr.Jibril connects the events in Congress and the media to plead the cause of the CNT, which has yet to be recognized as the legitimate representative of the Libyans by Washington as he was by France, Italy, UK and Qatar in particular.

The issue is financial as well as policy, supported the rebel leader: official recognition, he said, would be the key for obtaining credits are sorely lacking in the rebellion.

Mahmoud Jibril has launched a genuine cry for help to the think-tank Brookings Thursday.

"We are facing a very acute financial problem (...), we're almost out of money," he said.The rebellion will need, according to him, 3 billion dollars in the coming months to meet its expenses, including payment of civil servants.

In fact, a parliamentary mechanism was put in place this week in Congress, following the announcement by Hillary Clinton that Washington would draw funds Gaddafi regime - some 34 billion have blocked the United States alone - to help "the Libyan people."

Anonymous U.S. sources have said that only a small portion of these funds would be made available initially, which would still generate more than $ 150 million.

The United States has also begun to provide in Benghazi 25 million worth of products and equipment from various stocks of the U.S. Army.

The Minister of Finance of the CNT, Ali Tarhouni, advocates a U.S. loan guarantees over the assets of Gaddafi to go faster .*

Six large explosions were heard in the night from Friday to Saturday around Tripoli, which was flown by aircraft, witnesses said.

Two explosions were first heard Friday evening at the East of the Libyan capital, sources said.Smoke emanated from one of the sites involved, the witnesses said.

Early Saturday morning, four more explosions were heard in the city, according to witnesses.