ROME, April 4 (UPI) -- Italy Monday recognized the Benghazi-based rebels as the legitimate government of Libya.
"We have decided to recognize the Libyan National Council as the only legitimate talking partner for bilateral relations," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in Rome after meeting with the Council's foreign minister, Ali al-Essawi.
He said the recognition by Libya's onetime colonial ruler would be "formal," following the lead of France and Qatar, ANSA reported.
Frattini scorned dictator Moammar Gadhafi's reported overtures to end the conflict with a transition led by one of his sons as "not credible."
The foreign minister also said Italy might arm the rebels and its planes and a hospital ship would evacuate wounded people from the besieged city of Misurata.
Al-Essawi thanked Italy for its "support for the revolution" and said his movement opposes partition of Libya.
