Turkey does not plan to take part in the military operation against Libya. This decision was made at a military council supervised by Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Monday, RIA Novosti cites the local media as saying.
The UN Security Council passed a resolution on Thursday allowing foreign military to hold an operation to protect the population of Libya from Muammar Gaddafi. The operation started on Saturday and involves the USA, the UK, France, Italy and Canada. Belgium and Spain will join soon. The coalition has already launched over 120 cruise missiles against Libyan air defenses. Over 60 civilians have been killed.
NATO will support the "humanitarian operation", but the role and place of the alliance in the operation remains open. Media in Belgium say that the alliance will support the embargo on arms exports to Libya and the no-fly zone.
The Turkish press noted that Turkey has blocked passing any decision on thethe no-fly zone, the NATO Council said on Sunday.
Turkey demanded reconsideration of the n0-flyzone, Milliyet reports.
NATO GEN SEC Anders Fogh Rasmussen did not make a report.
Ankara supports the decision of the UN SC on Libya but does not support air raids. It is ready to participate in the embargo, NTV reports.
CNN-Turk said that Turkey will support political decisions on Libya and will provide aircraft and vessel, but it will not take part in the operation Odyssey Dawn.
