10 REASONS WHY EU MEMBER STATES NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE LIBYAN TRANSITIONAL NATIONAL COUNCIL

1. Over the last few months the TNC has made great progress and it is clearly committed to building a better future for Libya based on principles of openness and tolerance.

2. The Council has not only been transparent and forthcoming about the nature of its leadership, but also its vision for a post-Gadhafi Libya. In its outline for a future democratic government, it stated that Libya 'will denounce violence, terrorism, intolerance and cultural isolation, while respecting human rights'. On the economic front, the TNC has promised to preserve pre-existing internagtional agreements and to protect western interests in Libya while promoting a free-market economy.

3. They have begun to develop institutions which can provide basic services for the Libyan people and they are thinking about how to deal with humanitarian dislocation and challenges like the rebuilding of institutions from scratch.

4. The TNC represents the whole Libyan territory, it is a national umbrella encompassing all Libyan regions.

5. The TNC has recently created an Executive Board with portfolios allocated across the main sectors (International Affairs, Internal Affairs and Local Government, Media, Health, Justice and Human Rights, Economics, Finance and Oil, Transport and Communications, Environment, Culture and Community, Religious Affairs and Endowments, Reconstruction and Infrastructure, Education).

6. The TNC is not a political organisation, but is instead an administrative organisation managing the Libyan opposition until the Gadhafi regime falls and the Libyans elect their leaders through a democratic process.

7. The TNC is the best bet EU member states can make now for Libya's future because its leaders are cooperating in an effort to bring about real reform in a way that was unthinkable a few months ago.

8. The EU considers the TNC as the key political interlocutor representing the aspirations of the Libyan people. Among EU member states: France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Malta and Spain have officially recognised the TNC as the sole legitimate interlocutor of the Libyan people. Poland who is taking over the presidency of the EU from 1st July considers the TNC as the new legitimate political interlocutor in Libya and stands ready to provide support and training for TNC officials. Both the United States of America and Australia have declared that they view the TNC as the legitimate interlocutor for the Libyan people during this interim period. Other countries have recognised the TNC as well such as Qatar, Gambia, Senegal. Russia has announced its recognition of the TNC as a partner and an interlocutor in the negotiations and issues related to Libya. Turkey and Jordan have also recognised the TNC as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people who are voicing their aspirations and future hopes. Turkey has also announced its recognition of the TNC in Libya as a legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

9. The international community should be doing everything in its power to ensure that the Libyan people realise their freedom. The recognition of the TNC is just the first step. After so much sacrifice and bloodshed, the Libyan people are owed at least this much.

10. Recognition is just the right thing to do and today is the time to do it.