Brussels, 05/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - On the day before the meeting of the Contact Group on Libya, the NATO secretary general underlined the need for Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to quit. “It is hard to imagine that the attacks against civilians will cease as long as Gaddafi remains in power”, Rasmussen told the press on Wednesday 4 May. The NATO secretary general recalled the three conditions (approved by foreign ministers during their meeting in Berlin), that must be fulfilled before NATO air strikes, which have taken place since the end of March, can be suspended. These conditions are: - all attacks must cease; - all military and paramilitary forces loyal to the regime must return to their bases; - and free, unhindered access for providing humanitarian assistance must be guaranteed. “What we decided is what we defined in Berlin. When these objectives have been met then the mission will be accomplished”, he told the press. On Wednesday, the Italian parliament was insisting on having a clear deadline for ending NATO strikes. “I am not able to fix a date”, Rasmussen said, as “these three conditions determine how long NATO air strikes will last”. During a press conference on Thursday after the NATO Military Committee meeting, Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola spoke along the same lines. (A.By./transl.jl)