The White House has refrained from making any firm commitment on recognising the Government of the Libyan Opposition, saying it was for the people of that country to decide on their leader.

“We think it’s for the people of Libya to decide who the head of their country is, not for the United States to do that,” the White House Press Secretary, Mr Jay Carney, told reporters when asked about Senator John McCain’s remarks on recognising the Transitional National Council as the legitimate voice of Libyan people.

“Our position on Libya in general has been very clear, and both in terms of our support for and commitment through United Nations Council Resolution 1973 and through the non-military means that we’ve participated in quite aggressively both unilaterally and multilaterally to put the squeeze on Gaddafi.

“I think it’s important to remember that Gaddafi’s resources are limited. The arms embargo and the sanctions that have been put in place will, as each day goes by, make it harder and harder for him to function and for his regime to function,” Mr Carney said.

The Obama administration, he said, has maintained all along that it has been meeting regularly with the Opposition leaders and continues to do so to advise them, assist them as they try to prepare for a post-Gaddafi Libya.

“The issue now is providing that kind of assistance and advice as the world — as their country moves closer to a situation where they can — the citizens of Libya can pick their own leaders and decide their own political future,” Mr Carney added.

Mr McCain had on Friday said at a news conference in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi that he would encourage every nation, especially the US, “to recognise the Transitional National Council as the legitimate voice of the Libyan people.”

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