Brussels, 01/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - As announced, the EU Council adopted, on Friday 1st April, a decision on a European Union military operation in support of humanitarian assistance operations in response to the crisis situation in Libya (EUFOR Libya), and in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973. EUFOR Libya does not provide for troops to be deployed on Libyan soil, but the Council does specify that consultation is underway with the governments of Egypt and Tunisia with a view to obtaining their agreement for the possible presence of EU troops on their territory. The Council's decision does not state when the operation will begin as this is dependent upon a request from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Also, troops can only be deployed in the light of an updated risk and threat assessment, the Council states.
Once the above conditions are met, EUFOR Libya should contribute to protecting the movement and evacuation of displaced persons and support work by humanitarian agencies, including through the use of “specific capabilities”, the decision consulted by EUROPE states. Rear Admiral Claudio Gaudiosi of Italy has been appointed EU operation commander and the operational headquarters (OHQ) of EUFOR Libya will be located in Rome, Italy, where one of the five EU operational headquarters is based. Political control and the strategic leadership of the mission are entrusted to the Political and Security Committee (PSC) under the guidance of the Council and the High EU Representative. The EU Military Committee (EUMC) and its chairman, General Hakan Syren of Sweden, are responsible for following-up operations command. The reference amount for the cost of joint operations (relating to the operations headquarters, compensation for damage caused by the force, the cost of storing material, etc) is €7.9 million financed by the Athena mechanism (the funding mechanism for EU defence-related activities). Third countries, especially those of the Arab League, may be invited to take part in the operation. (A.By./transl.jl)