omarturbi فتحي عمر التربي
Life is miserable in Tripoli. Let's put an end to it.pbs.org/newshour/bb/wo… @shabablibya #benghazi #libya #feb17
RAY SUAREZ: For more, we turn to Omar Turbi, a Libyan-American businessman and a non-official adviser to the rebels. He's traveled to Libya three times since the uprising began, including just three weeks ago.
Mr. Turbi, now that the list of governments recognizing the National Transitional Council is more than 30 countries long, maybe it's time to ask whether this is symbolic diplomacy or whether it really strengthens the hands of the council.
OMAR TURBI, Libyan National Transitional Council: The U.K.'s recognition of the Transitional National Council is a definite and a clear signal to the cynical regime in Tripoli that the world, the U.K., the important powers of the world no longer recognize the Libyan regime as legitimate.
And releasing $150 million to the Transitional National Council is a very good thing. As a matter of fact, from what I know, there's at least $3 billion in Saif al-Gadhafi's name in London, $900 million of which were transferred to the U.K. on Feb. 22. And it may come as a surprise to your audience that there's not only $34 billion of Libyan assets in the United States. There's north of $120 billion, according to a reliable source in the United States government.
RAY SUAREZ: So, Mr. Turbi, this clears the way, this recognition, for a more rapid processing of these accounts, a more rapid turnover of properties and monies and assets that might be held for the government overseas?
OMAR TURBI: You know, it's up to the Transitional National Council and the Libyan people, particularly in the eastern part of Libya, to employ the proper legal mechanisms to get access to those funds.
