AL Arabiya News Channel
Saturday, 09 April 2011
BRUSSELS--NATO operations in Libya do not aim at ousting the Libyan regime, but aim mainly at protecting civilians, its Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Saturday.
In an exclusive interview with Al Arabiya in Brussels, Mr. Rasmussen said that NATO fighters launched more than 1,000 air strikes within the past week.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
Al Arabiya: Do you regret the fall of protesters as victims of the NATO air strikes to their military vehicles on Thursday?
Anders Fogh Rasmussen: We would like to express our apologies for that accident, and we deeply regret the fall of victims. I would like to stress that the situation in the field is fluid. We have received the assignment from the United Nations Security Council for the main aim of protecting civilians against any aggression. Through our experience, we know that the Gaddafi regime is targeting Libyan civilians by tanks. This is the reason why we believe that any military unit that could be used against civilians represents a target for our fighters.
Q: Did NATO generals know that the Libyan protesters were using heavy weaponry or not?
A: The situation on field is weird and it might be difficult to specify the kind of vehicles from the fighter jet. Qaddafi forces have changed their tactics. They are now using civilian vehicles and they hide the heavy weaponry. Their tanks use human shields to protect their heavy weapons. As we are keen to avoid human losses, this makes the mission very tough and that should be considered.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen: We would like to express our apologies for that accident, and we deeply regret the fall of victims. I would like to stress that the situation in the field is fluid. We have received the assignment from the United Nations Security Council for the main aim of protecting civilians against any aggression. Through our experience, we know that the Gaddafi regime is targeting Libyan civilians by tanks. This is the reason why we believe that any military unit that could be used against civilians represents a target for our fighters.
Q: Did NATO generals know that the Libyan protesters were using heavy weaponry or not?
A: The situation on field is weird and it might be difficult to specify the kind of vehicles from the fighter jet. Qaddafi forces have changed their tactics. They are now using civilian vehicles and they hide the heavy weaponry. Their tanks use human shields to protect their heavy weapons. As we are keen to avoid human losses, this makes the mission very tough and that should be considered.
NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen
Q: Protesters think that NATO operations are moving slowly. Is this true?
A: The operations are moving quickly. We have launched more than 1,000 strikes. We have bombarded a large number of military vehicles and prevented them from targeting Libyan civilians.
Q: US General Carter Ham expressed his doubts over the capability of protesters to reach Tripoli and topple Qaddafi. What is your evaluation of that?
A: This is for the role of opposition groups. Our role is limited to protecting civilians according to the decisions of the Security Council. We have been assigned to protect civilians and to take all the needed measure to impose the no-fly zone. These are the main targets of our operations in Libya.
Q: Then your mission does not include ousting the regime?
A: Security Council decisions 1970 and 1973 have specified that the Qaddafi regime has committed crimes against humanity, which were enough to bring Libyan officials before the International Criminal Court. The Security Council decisions also stressed the importance of solving the crisis for the sake of the legitimate rights of the Libyan people.
Q: You and the others said that there is no place for a military solution. You were in Ankara recently, where you met with the Turkish prime minister and the foreign minister. What do you think about the roadmap suggested by Prime Minister Recep Tayyeb Erdogan?
A: There is no place for an individual military solution for the current Libyan problem. NATO is carrying out the operations upon the request of the Security Council, mainly for protecting civilians. Solving the Libyan crisis requires a political path that would guarantee fulfilling the requirements of the Libyan people. We welcome all initiatives that would enable the Libyan people to make an easy transfer to democracy.
Q: There are confirmed reports that members of al-Qaeda in North Africa have grabbed weapons from Libyan warehouses and transferred them in four-wheel cars from Libya toward north Niger through Chad and Mali. Isn't this terrifying?
A: There is no doubt that al-Qaeda and other militant groups will try to make use of the revolutions in North Africa. This issue underlines the importance of finding a peaceful solution for the Libyan crisis as soon as possible. The worst scenario would be the transition of Libya into a failed state. That would make it easy for terrorist organizations to enter Libya and leave it whenever they want.
(Translated by ABEER TAYEL / Al Arabiya)
A: The operations are moving quickly. We have launched more than 1,000 strikes. We have bombarded a large number of military vehicles and prevented them from targeting Libyan civilians.
Q: US General Carter Ham expressed his doubts over the capability of protesters to reach Tripoli and topple Qaddafi. What is your evaluation of that?
A: This is for the role of opposition groups. Our role is limited to protecting civilians according to the decisions of the Security Council. We have been assigned to protect civilians and to take all the needed measure to impose the no-fly zone. These are the main targets of our operations in Libya.
Q: Then your mission does not include ousting the regime?
A: Security Council decisions 1970 and 1973 have specified that the Qaddafi regime has committed crimes against humanity, which were enough to bring Libyan officials before the International Criminal Court. The Security Council decisions also stressed the importance of solving the crisis for the sake of the legitimate rights of the Libyan people.
Q: You and the others said that there is no place for a military solution. You were in Ankara recently, where you met with the Turkish prime minister and the foreign minister. What do you think about the roadmap suggested by Prime Minister Recep Tayyeb Erdogan?
A: There is no place for an individual military solution for the current Libyan problem. NATO is carrying out the operations upon the request of the Security Council, mainly for protecting civilians. Solving the Libyan crisis requires a political path that would guarantee fulfilling the requirements of the Libyan people. We welcome all initiatives that would enable the Libyan people to make an easy transfer to democracy.
Q: There are confirmed reports that members of al-Qaeda in North Africa have grabbed weapons from Libyan warehouses and transferred them in four-wheel cars from Libya toward north Niger through Chad and Mali. Isn't this terrifying?
A: There is no doubt that al-Qaeda and other militant groups will try to make use of the revolutions in North Africa. This issue underlines the importance of finding a peaceful solution for the Libyan crisis as soon as possible. The worst scenario would be the transition of Libya into a failed state. That would make it easy for terrorist organizations to enter Libya and leave it whenever they want.
(Translated by ABEER TAYEL / Al Arabiya)
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