BENGHAZI, Libya - head of the foreign policy of the EU Catherine Ashton has opened an Office of the mission in the capital of rebels in Benghazi, as diplomatic efforts intensified rebel leaders.
"We are here for the long term", Ashton told a press conference the Tibesti hotel where the mission of the European Union was opened and where she met Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of the National Council of transition from the rebels.
The announcement was made hours after NATO bombed Tripoli port and consisting of leader Libyan Moamer Kadhafi.
The opening of an Office of the EU to represent the block of 27 members, coupled with the wish of long-term support came as a boost for the rebels of lobbying the world powers to recognize officially the NTC.
Jalil Monday began a two day visit to Turkey NATO member countries, in which he is to meet President Abdullah Gul and other senior officials, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, said.
The talks will focus on "ways to improve the coordination and cooperation initiatives of humanitarian assistance that our country has undertaken to the Libyan people," said a Ministry statement.
During this time, Jalil worked the phones in advance a summit focused on the Libya of the African Union in Addis Ababa on Wednesday, Thursday. Last month, the African Union has proposed a truce which was rejected by the rebels, who insisted on the departure of Gaddafi.
Jalil called the President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade and invited Benghazi and the President accepted, Office of Wade, said Sunday.
Ashton has called Al-Gaddafi, who was at the head of the nation in North Africa for 41 years, at the stage of dow Wade proposed the creation of a new constitution and elections held under the authority of the rebel leaders, who he recognized as the "legitimate opposition". The Senegalese leader is in regular contact with Kadhafi, who visited the West African country several times.
"The people of the Libya spoke about the future they want." "I am here on behalf of all the 27 countries of the European Union to offer our support to the future", she said.
The European Parliament has long pleaded for the recognition of the NTC, which so far has been recognized by the France, Italy, Qatar, and Gambia, but Ashton has stressed it was up to the Libyan people to decide who represents them in the future.
She said that the European Union recognized the Council as an interlocutor. "These are people with whom we have strong dialogue."
Tripoli said Ashton visit regime was a "surprise" and opening of an Office of the EU in rebel-held territory could be regarded as equivalent to the "recognition of illegitimate entity".
"This will have repercussions on the report of the Libya with several EU countries and institutions," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Libya.
He said the "EU alongside other members of the international community must help find a peaceful solution that protects the Libyan life and strengthens the unity and territorial integrity of the Libya."
Ashton said "protect civilians in the Libya is fundamental," and promised that the European Union would help the rebels on border management, which is of critical concern because of the violence on mountains near the border with the Tunisia.
"Too many people are dead already", she said.
A few hours before Ashton visit, led by NATO warplanes hit Tripoli port and of immense Gaddafi composed of Bab al-Aziziyah, near the capital.
"There were two raids on the port and Bab al-Aziziyah," the residence of Kadhafi, who has already been the target several times, an official plan said about strikes early Sunday.
An AFP journalist heard two explosions shortly after midnight and a fighter aircraft flying over Tripoli at low altitude, indicating the NATO sustained air campaign against the forces of Gaddafi.
International correspondents have been taken at the residence of Kadhafi in a bus chartered by the regime, but did not access the compound.
Saturday, the Western military alliance has struck a "naval assets in Sirte"-, town native Gaddafi's - out some other objectives military, NATO said.
The alliance took command of the air campaign on March 30 of French, American and British forces, under a UN mandate, has launched air attacks on the forces of Gaddafi to protect civilians.
We the President Barack Obama addressed a letter to Congress Friday, seeking political support of us action in the NATO aggression, as he hit a technical period of 60 days to obtain formal approval of the Congress for the use of its powers of war.
The White House retains that its role in supporting the allies does not merit a formal war Declaration requires the US Constitution.
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