EU awaits UN approval for deploying military forces in Libya
April 19th, 2011 - 2:52 pm ICT by ANILondon, Apr 18 (ANI): The European Union is awaiting the United Nations’ approval to a “concept of operations” document that they have developed for deployment of military forces in Libya.
Around 1,000 armed forces would be deployed to secure the delivery of aid supplies. They would would not be engaged in a combat role, but would be authorised to fight if they or their humanitarian wards were threatened.
“It would be to secure sea and land corridors inside the country,” The Guardian quoted a EU official, as saying.
The decision to prepare the mission, Eufor Libya, was reportedly taken by the 27 governments at the beginning of April, and a 61-page document was eventually signed by diplomats from the member states to help secure port areas, aid delivery corridors, loading and unloading ships, providing naval escorts, and discussing the military assets that would be required.
EU officials are working on an “A-plan”, the operational instructions that would specify the size of the force, its equipment and makeup, and the rules of engagement.
However, diplomats and officials have said that this would not be finalised unless a request for an EU military mission came from the UN body the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).
Earlier, the NATO alliance appeared keen to let the EU take over any armed escorts for an aid mission, seeing little role for itself.
“I would appreciate it if the EU could take the initiative on the delivery of humanitarian aid. NATO has no intention to play a leading role,” NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, had said last week. (ANI)
- EU approves possible military operation for Libya - Apr 02, 2011
- NATO to continue Libya operation - Jun 23, 2011
- NATO chief dismisses talk of intervention in Syria - Nov 05, 2011
- NATO chief makes unannounced visit to Libya - Nov 01, 2011
- NATO ready to help Libya: Rasmussen - Oct 06, 2011
- Libya mission pretty close to end: NATO chief - Oct 04, 2011
- NATO not to keep troops around Libya - Oct 25, 2011
- NATO for financing rebel fighters in Libya - May 04, 2011
- Russia-NATO Council meeting to address Libya issue (Lead) - Mar 23, 2011
- NATO asks Pakistan to open transit routes - Apr 20, 2012
- NATO formally decides to end Libya mission on Oct 31 - Oct 28, 2011
- NATO chief rules out intervention in Syria, Iran - Feb 29, 2012
- 'NATO combat operations in Afghanistan to last till 2014' - Feb 03, 2012
- Western forces breaching UN resolution on Libya: Russian envoy - Apr 18, 2011
- NATO to continue military pressure on Haqqani network - Nov 03, 2011
Tags: aid delivery, anders fogh rasmussen, combat role, concept of operations, corridors, diplomats, humanitarian affairs, humanitarian aid, member states, military assets, military forces, military mission, nato alliance, nato secretary general, operational instructions, ordination, page document, port areas, rules of engagement, wards