More than 40 countries recognize Libyan rebel council

The National Transitional Council declared itself the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

By REUTERS
Libyan rebels hunt Gaddafi 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Libyan rebels hunt Gaddafi 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
More than 40 countries have recognized Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC), set to take power and move to Tripoli after rebels forced veteran leader Muammar Gaddafi to abandon his headquarters in the capital.
The NTC declared itself the sole legitimate representative of the Libyan people on March 5 and appointed Mahmoud Jibril on March 23 to form an interim government.
Here are the countries that have recognized the NTC:
Albania, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Benin, Britain, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chad, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Authority, Panama, Portugal, Qatar, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States
* China has not formally recognized the NTC, but said on Wednesday it had "always attached significance to (its) important role".
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that Moscow might establish formal relations with the rebels if they were able to "unite the country for a new democratic start".