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NATO takes command of part of Libya operation

24 March 2011 23:40 (UTC +04:00)

The agreement will allow the United States to hand over command and control of part of the international operation, as it has been eager to do. But it appeared that some NATO members balked at any involvement in attacks on targets on the ground.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who announced the NATO agreement in Brussels, said the alliance operation would proceed in parallel with the bombing campaign carried out by coalition aircraft. NATO officials said they expected to begin operations within 72 hours.

"At this moment there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation," Fogh Rasmussen said. "We are considering whether NATO should take on the broader responsibility in accordance with the U.N. Security Council resolution, but that decision has not been reached yet."

U.S. warplanes will continue flying strike missions over Libya, the Pentagon said earlier Thursday.

NATO’S top decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, had been struggling for six days to reach an agreement on using its military command and control capability to coordinate the operation in Libya. The logjam appeared to have broken earlier Thursday when Turkey, which had sought assurances that the NATO operation would be limited, finally gave its assent. The alliance needs the approval of all 28 members to take such action.

Turkey’s parliament authorized the government to participate in military operations in Libya, including the no-fly zone. Turkey is NATO’s only Muslim member.

Before the approval of the mission, hundreds of people, including members of left-wing political parties, protested against the deployment outside Turkey’s Parliament as well as the U.S. Embassy, where protesters chanted slogans against NATO and Stavridis’ visit.

Separately, the 27 European Union heads of government, also in Brussels for a summit, issued a statement saying the EU stood ready to assist in building a new Libya "in cooperation with the United Nations, the Arab League, the African Union and others."

In Rome, Italy’s parliament approved the country’s involvement in Libya with back-to-back votes in both houses. The lower Chamber of Deputies gave its approval on Thursday, a day after the Senate.

Italy has offered the coalition attacking military targets in Libya the use of seven military bases for its aircraft. It has also made available eight of its own jets for use in missions. But it has been pushing for NATO to take over command of the operation.