NATO assumes leadership on Libya

China.org.cn, March 28, 2011

NATO Allies have decided Sunday to take on the whole military operation in Libya under the United Nations Security Council Resolution.

NATO Secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen?made the announcement following a special session of NATO ambassadors.

"Our goal is to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas under threat of attack from the Gaddafi regime. NATO will implement all aspects of the UN Resolution. Nothing more, nothing less," the NATO chief said.

"We will be acting in close coordination with our international and regional partners to protect the people of Libya," Rasmussen said,?promising NATO's operations will be implemented "with immediate effect."

"This is a very significant step, which proves NATO's capability to take decisive action," Rasmussen said.

A NATO official said that ambassadors approved on Sunday the air strike plans against Libyan ground forces to protect civilians,?expanding the alliance's previous role of enforcing the no-fly zone and arms embargo.

The latest decision will pave the way for NATO to assume full command of Libya operations from the United States next week, as the latter has been eager to step back and prefer NATO to take over.

However, while disputes over the military command structure involving France, the United States, Britain and Turkey are about to settle down, who will lead politically still remains unclear.

Britain will host an international conference on Libya in London on Tuesday, which is expected to set "the wide political guidance" for the military operation as NATO takes the full military command.