Libya's transitional government gets UN seat

The United Nations General Assembly today voted to give Libya's seat in the world body to the country's rebel National Transitional Council that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

The 193-member assembly voted 114 to 17, in favour of the NTC, which toppled Muammar Gaddafi's regime in Libya after months of violent clashes between civilian protestors and Gaddafi's forces.

There were 15 abstentions in the vote.

The move allows interim government leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil to attend next week's high level annual UN meet in New York.

Jalil is expected to meet US President Barack Obama and other world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

The NTC has support of about 90 countries.

A group of left-wing Latin American countries failed in their bid to oppose recognition of the transitional  council.

The UN Security Council would vote later in the day on a resolution, drafted by Britain, to ease economic and arms sanctions against Libya and set up a political mission in the country to help the government restore political order by organising elections and framing a new constitution.

After Gaddafi withdrew credentials of his UN ambassador Abdulrahman Shalgham, Libya has had no official UN representative since March.