All eyes on Doha as Libya contact group meets

BENGHAZI, April 12(AFP):- The focus of the Libyan conflict shifts to the Gulf state of Qatar on Wednesday as the rebels' shadow government will be given the chance to address an international contact group. Libya's former foreign minister Mussa Kussa will be present in Doha but rebels made it clear he would not be representing them in any way at talks ahead of the meeting. An African Union peace plan for Libya was in tatters after rebels stuck to their demand that Moamer Gaddafi step down and NATO came under pressure to drop more bombs on the strongman's forces. The Libyan opposition's shadow government, the Transitional National Council, will address the contact group, an invitation which marks another step in the armed rebel group's gradual march towards international recognition as an alternative voice for Libya's people. On March 29 in London, the TNC was not permitted to attend the plenary session of an international ministerial conference on the crisis, although its envoys held bilateral talks with several world powers. But French foreign ministry spokesman, Bernard Valero, said: "Not only will they be there, but -- and this should be checked with the Qataris -- unlike London, where they were on the sidelines, they will appear before the contact group." Since London, with Gaddafi continuing to defy NATO air strikes and mounting calls for him to quit, the opposition council has gained support and recognition, notably from France, Italy and Qatar. Valero said France would welcome the group playing a bigger role at the Wednesday meeting of around 20 countries, at foreign minister level, and international bodies. The rebels were keen to distance themselves from former foreign minister Kussa. "He's not connected to (rebel) Transitional National Council in any way or shape," media liaison official Mustafa Gheriani told AFP. The British Foreign Office said Kussa was leaving Britain on Tuesday to travel to Qatar for talks ahead of the meeting.