Rebel body 'legitimate' representative of Libyans: Jordan

Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Jawdeh "informed Mahmud Jibril, the head of the NTC executive committee, that Jordan considers the council to be the legitimate representative of the Libyan people and the legitimate interlocutor that expresses the aspirations of the Libyan people," the official news agency Petra reported.

It said Jordan will appoint a "permanent envoy to Benghazi to strengthen coordination with the NTC." Britain, France, Gambia, Italy and Qatar have already recognised the rebel  council as their sole interlocutor in Libya.

The NTC, the administrative body of the Libyan rebels, refuses any negotiations with Muammar Gaddafi and has been demanding his departure since the start of the revolt against his more than four-decade rule in February.

Since April, Jordan has provided humanitarian aid to Libya, but has clarified it is not participating militarily in the international operations against Gaddafi.