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Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 24. Mars 2011 / Time Line March 24, 2011
Version 3.503/24/2011
NATO Assumes Responsibility for No-fly Zone
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 - NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen announced today the alliance will assume command and
control of coalition operations enforcing the no-fly zone over
Libya authorized by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973.
"We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to
protect civilians against the attacks by the [Moammar] Gadhafi
regime," Rasmussen said in a statement released today. "We will
cooperate with our partners in the region and welcome their
contributions."
All NATO allies are committed to fulfill their obligations under
the U.N. resolution, Rasmussen said. "That is why we have decided
to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone," He added.
Speaking in Washington this evening after meetings at the White
House, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said a wide range
of nations has responded to the Libyan people's needs.
"When the Libyan people sought to realize their democratic
aspirations, they were met by extreme violence from their own
government," Clinton said. "The Libyan people appealed to the world
to help stop the brutal attacks on them, and the world
listened."
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were in danger, the secretary
said, and an international coalition responded. "After only five
days, we have made significant progress," she said. "A massacre in
Benghazi was prevented. Gadhafi's air force and air defenses have
been rendered largely ineffective. And the coalition is in control
of the skies above Libya."
Humanitarian relief is beginning to reach the people who need it,
she said, noting, "At least 18 doctors and nurses from an
organization funded by the United States Agency for International
Development [are] in Benghazi ... beginning to provide support to
the city's main hospital."
President Barack
Obama stressed that the U.S. military's actions "would be
limited in time and scope," Clinton said. "Our mission has been to
use America's unique capabilities to create the conditions for the
no-fly zone, and to assist in meeting urgent humanitarian
needs."
Today the United States and its NATO allies agreed to transition
command and control for the no-fly zone over Libya to NATO, Clinton
said.
"This coalition includes countries beyond NATO, including Arab
partners, and we expect all of them to [provide] important
political guidance going forward," she said.
Arab leadership and participation is the coalition is crucial, she
said.
"The Arab League showed that leadership with its pivotal statement
on Libya," Clinton said. "We are deeply appreciative of their
continuing contributions, including aircrafts and pilots from
Qatar."
This evening the United Arab Emirates announced it will join the
coalition and send planes to help protect Libyan civilians and
enforce the no-fly zone, the secretary said.
"We welcome this important step," she added. "It underscores both
the breadth of this international coalition and the depth of
concern in the region for the plight of the Libyan people."
As NATO assumes command-and-control responsibilities, the welfare
of Libyan civilians will be of paramount concern, she said.
"Our military will continue to provide support to our efforts to
make sure that Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 will be
enforced," Clinton said. "It is an effort that we believe is very
important, and we'll look forward to coordinating closely with all
those nations that are participating."
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