Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have recognized the Libyan rebel council based in Benghazi as the legitimate representative of Libyans, officials said on Wednesday, July 13.

"We want to announce that we want to further deepen our relations with the TNC (rebel council) and we officially consider it as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people in the transitional period," Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere told reporters.

Vanackere and his counterparts from Luxembourg and the Netherlands met the Libyan rebels' diplomatic chief, Mahmoud Jibril of the Transitional National Council, in Brussels on Wednesday, Reuters reported.