Brussels NATO agreed Thursday to take control of the air exclusion zone in the sky Libya, to prevent aircraft flying to Muammar Gaddafi and protect the population civil, but for now attack ground targets, which remain in the hands of the international coalition.
"We decided to implement the ban on overflight zone in Libya, "said the secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, following a meeting of ambassadors from the 28 member countries of the organization's headquarters in Brussels.
"We act as part of a major international effort to protect civilians from the Gaddafi regime," said Rasmussen.
A coalition led by the United States, Britain and France is six days of implementing the no-fly zone, decided by the Security Council of the UN, to prevent aircraft Gaddafi attack their opponents and civilians.
Rasmussen said that NATO's mandate ends up there now: "Of course, we can act in self defense, but what we do is deploy the air lock area," he said, ruling out offensive actions.
Therefore, the coalition will remain responsible for attacks on ground targets like tanks and other military equipment, capable of posing a threat to civilians. The general secretary said, however, that the Allies still "considering whether NATO should assume greater responsibility," a decision that could take in the "coming days."
"In a few days" However, a senior U.S. official said in Washington that NATO will take over in a few days of all AFP military operations in Libya, not just the no-fly zone, following a "political agreement" among the 28 members of the organization.
Alliance members for several days debating what should be the role of Western organization decisive international intervention by the UN to force out Gaddafi. Britain and Italy, inter alia, because NATO open military take over from the coalition and take command of operations, while the United States "made it known that wants NATO to take over" entirely, according to diplomatic sources.
But Turkey, the only Muslim-majority member of the organization is opposed to carrying out offensive actions.
The European Union (EU) agreed yesterday to work to block all income that the Libyan regime can be derived from the sale of oil and gas and called the international community to follow that line, while supporting the military actions carried out in the country. Twenty-seven leaders meeting in Brussels, said that the EU "is ready to initiate and adopt more sanctions, which include measures to ensure that Tripoli did not get funding from the sale of energy products. In addition, they announced their intention to propose similar action in the Security Council of the United Nations so that the lock is extended to the entire international community.
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