Brussels, 18/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union says it wants to examine the details of the ceasefire announced by the Libyan regime while working on introducing tighter sanctions and planning potential military action for humanitarian ends in Libya, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton on Friday 18 March.
European countries have agreed in principle on new sanctions against 11 Libyans, members of the government under Muammar Gaddafi, and nine Libyan organisations. The sanctions involve the freezing of assets and travel bans and are expected to be formally decided upon on Monday by EU foreign ministers, followed in the next few days by further sanctions in order to fully implement the sanctions decided by the UN. Italy has expressed reluctance in recent days about sanctions against its interests in the Libyan oil industry. The UN Security Council has decided to issue sanctions against the National Oil Company (NOC).
The EU quickly welcomed the approval announced by the UN Security Council on Thursday 17 March of the stricter sanctions against the Libyan regime, the introduction of a no-fly zone and air strikes against Gadaffi's army. Herman Van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton said in a statement on 18 March: “The EU is ready to implement this resolution within is mandate and competences.” The European Council will discuss the situation in Libya on 24 and 25 March.
EU application of the UN resolution. The EU Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the UN resolution on Monday 21 March. Late on Friday, the situation was not clear because Tripoli had announced the end of military operations and France, the UK and probably the US were preparing to launch the first airstrikes against Gadaffi's forces. EU military intervention in Libya under the Common Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has been ruled out and the EU27 is split over the issue. France and the UK have been calling since 11 March for airstrikes against Gadaffi's army, but Germany opposes this. Angela Merkel explained that Germany had abstained from the vote on the UN Security Council resolution only because Germany will not take part in military operations or the introduction of a no-fly zone, but said that the country backed the aims of the resolution wholeheartedly. She said that abstention from the vote must not be confused with neutrality. Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said that Germany was intensely sceptical about the idea of military intervention, seeing huge dangers in it. Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria are also reported to be refusing to participate in any military action in Libya.
Most of the member states say that if military action becomes unavoidable, it should be carried out by NATO, or if NATO cannot reach agreement, then by a “coalition of volunteers” under the aegis of the United Nations (with a United Nations mandate) in close cooperation with the Arab League and the African Union. Several European countries say they are prepared to participate in air strikes. Along with France and the UK, Denmark and Belgium seem to be prepared to send F16 fighter planes to join a NATO operation. Italy is looking at the idea and Spain has offered to provide its military bases at Rota and Moron. Poland has offered to provide logistical support. Qatar has announced that it would join an international coalition against Gadaffi and it is possible that the United Arab Emirates would follow suit.
Ashton says EFSP has not failed. Catherine Ashton refuses to see the lack of agreement in the EU27 on military intervention in Libya as evidence that the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) has failed. She says the EU main role is to provide humanitarian aid for civilians, using military resources to back this where required, and to issue strong economic sanctions against Gadaffi and his regime. If some member states want to take further military action (in line with the UN mandate), then she said she thought it was right that they can do so on their own responsibility.
Various options. Sources explain that the reflection and prudent planning at the Policy and Security Committee (COPS) and the EU's military committee are focusing on various options at the moment to provide military backing to humanitarian aid (evacuation, providing aid to refugees at border crossings, helping people living in Benghazi, for example). Another option under study is the sending of a maritime surveillance mission to ensure the arms embargo on Libya is respected. This option does not yet have the necessary support because some member states doubt that the EU has the material and logistical capabilities to carry out surveillance of the shipping routes to and from Libya, and other member states say that this is NATO's job. Other member states doubt that such a measure would have any impact because illegal arms are sent by land. At the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, the ministers will be briefed about progress on the various options but diplomats on Friday said it was not certain they would be able to make any tangible decisions.
Flurry of diplomacy. An EU-Arab League-African Union summit will be held in Paris on Saturday 19 March, attended by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Catherine Ashton will represent the EU. On Sunday 20 March, a delegation of African Union mediators, including the presidents of several African countries, is expected to travel to Tripoli to try and enter dialogue with the Libyan regime and opposition. (H.B./A.By./L.C./transl.fl)