NATO will not enforce a no-fly zone over Libya unless it has a clear mandate from the United Nations, announced NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, after a special session on Libya on Thursday in Brussels.
At the press conference following the two-hour meeting of NATO defense ministers, Rasmussen conveyed a somewhat mixed message about the urgency to react to the “outrageous and systematic violence against Libyan people,” tempered with the need to wait for a legal mandate to take military action.
“Time was of the essence,” said Rasmussen at the beginning of the conference, but later dismissed a question about whether NATO forces were ready to intervene tomorrow in Libya if authorization was received from the U.N.
“That’s not the reality,” he answered speaking in French, reiterating that the current U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution did not authorize the use of force.
“Further planning will be required” if NATO gets a U.N. mandate to impose a no-fly zone.
Rasmussen said three conditions would have to be met before NATO would intervene: demonstrable need, clear legal basis, and strong regional support. He also made it clear that NATO is not looking to take action, but would if it became necessary.
“I can’t imagine the international community and the United Nations stand idly by if Col. Gadhafi continues attacking his people systematically. But I have to say we do not look for intervention in Libya. “
The Secretary-General emphasized that NATO allies had reached a consensus on two immediate lines of action. The first is to increase NATO’s surveillance capabilities in the central Mediterranean, in order to monitor the implementation of the U.N-authorized arms embargo against Libya. Again, he made it clear that the forces were there to monitor, but not enforce, which would require a new UNSC resolution.
NATO’s second line of action is to urgently develop a plan for humanitarian assistance. “Our first concern must be the plight of the civilian population,” said Rasmussen.
At the press conference following the two-hour meeting of NATO defense ministers, Rasmussen conveyed a somewhat mixed message about the urgency to react to the “outrageous and systematic violence against Libyan people,” tempered with the need to wait for a legal mandate to take military action.
“Time was of the essence,” said Rasmussen at the beginning of the conference, but later dismissed a question about whether NATO forces were ready to intervene tomorrow in Libya if authorization was received from the U.N.
“That’s not the reality,” he answered speaking in French, reiterating that the current U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution did not authorize the use of force.
“Further planning will be required” if NATO gets a U.N. mandate to impose a no-fly zone.
Rasmussen said three conditions would have to be met before NATO would intervene: demonstrable need, clear legal basis, and strong regional support. He also made it clear that NATO is not looking to take action, but would if it became necessary.
“I can’t imagine the international community and the United Nations stand idly by if Col. Gadhafi continues attacking his people systematically. But I have to say we do not look for intervention in Libya. “
The Secretary-General emphasized that NATO allies had reached a consensus on two immediate lines of action. The first is to increase NATO’s surveillance capabilities in the central Mediterranean, in order to monitor the implementation of the U.N-authorized arms embargo against Libya. Again, he made it clear that the forces were there to monitor, but not enforce, which would require a new UNSC resolution.
NATO’s second line of action is to urgently develop a plan for humanitarian assistance. “Our first concern must be the plight of the civilian population,” said Rasmussen.
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