Brasília – The United Nations (UN) recognised on Friday (16) the National Transitional Council of Libya (NTC) – run by the opposition against Muammar Kadafi – as the provisory government and legitimate representative of the country.
Recognition was obtained with 114 votes in favour, 17 against and 15 abstentions. The decision should allow the NTC president, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, to participate in the United Nations (UN) Assembly General, in New York, to be opened on the 21st.
The measure is an important step for the NTC in its search for international legitimacy – the council is considered the legitimate government of Libya by around 60 countries. The government of Brazil has not yet recognized the council.
The Brazilian minister of Foreign Relations, Antonio Patriota, said in several occasions that the government of Brazil is awaiting the UN position to come to a definition about the NTC. However, Brazil has a permanent interlocutor with the council, ambassador Cesário Melantonio Neto.
President Dilma Rousseff, Patriota and another five ministers should participate in the meetings of the Assembly General.
*With information from BBC Brasil Translated by Mark Ament
