20110423
reuters

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - U.S. Senator John McCain on Friday urged President Barack Obama's administration to recognise the Libyan rebel national council as the country's rightful government and transfer frozen Libyan assets to them.

McCain also called for NATO to step up its air strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's military and said Western allies should provide rebels with training, weapons and command- and-control activities to help overthrow the Libyan leader.

"I would encourage every nation, especially the United States, to recognise the transitional national council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people," McCain said, speaking to reporters in the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

"They have earned this right and Gaddafi has forfeited it by waging war on his own people."

McCain, believed to be the most senior Western politician, and the first from the United States, to visit Benghazi since the conflict broke out in late February, made the trip to Libya on his own.

An aide said he met with rebel leaders including finance chief Ali Tarhouni and armed forces head Abdel Fattah Younes.

National council head Mustafa Abdel Jalil called McCain's visit "very touching".

"We discussed the question of U.S. recognition and the question of U.S. help to the alliance in protecting civilians who are subjected to a true humanitarian tragedy," Jalil told the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, monitored in Cairo.