Rebel tricolor hoisted over Libyan embassy in Moscow

Libyan diplomats in Moscow have made their choice and on Monday hoisted the flag used by the rebel Libyan Republic.

­On August 25 the green flag of the Libyan Jamahiriya was hauled down, igniting pro- and anti-Gaddafi rallies near the embassy. For several days the mood inside the embassy building remained unknown. Today the situation has changed to resolute support of the new regime.

Dr. Amir al-Arabi Ali Gharib, Libyan ambassador to Russia says “The decision to raise the new flag was taken a week ago, but we decided to get together Libyan students [studying in Moscow] to make a sort of feast instead of simply raising the flag by ourselves.”

“Sooner or later Russia will have to recognize the new regime because Gaddafi’s regime is really gone for good now and the people of Libya have decided to make a new statehood, so we do expect support on the part of Russia,” ambassador claimed.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry will continue to work with the Libyan embassy in Moscow after it changed the national flag.

The embassy sent a notification note to Russia’s Foreign Ministry informing that it had passed under the jurisdiction of the National Transitional Council of Libya.

The Ministry says all contacts with the embassy continue in the ordinary course.

Last week Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev stressed that Russia has a balanced stance on the situation in Libya and noted it is too early for the opposition to celebrate.

"For the time being, the situation remains just as it was. Despite the opposition’s recent success, Gaddafi and forces loyal to him still have an influence and a certain military potential,” Medvedev said.

The Russian president promised Russia would establish diplomatic ties with the Libyan rebels in the event that they unite the country.

The red, black and green tricolor flag was used in Libya from 1951 till 1969, when it was changed to the green flag of Libyan Jamahiriya, the only single-colored flag in the world.