Sochi: Nato’s chief has staunchly defended its operation in Libya during a meeting of the Nato-Russia Council in the southern Russian resort town of Sochi. Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the campaign was being undertaken in “strict conformity” with the UN Security Council resolution authorising it.Russia earlier said deep differences over the operation were hindering efforts to build deeper ties.
Nato-backed Libyan rebels have rejected the latest peace plan put to them.
That initiative was drawn up by the African Union, driven in part by the efforts of South African President Jacob Zuma, who has joined the talks in Sochi to add his voice to Russian concerns about the Nato operation.
Pressure has been growing to find an end to the conflict in Libya, where Col Muammar Gaddafi continues to resist calls to stand down despite a three-month Nato bombing campaign.
This is a routine meeting of the Nato-Russia Council which has been given special significance amid the divisions over Nato’s campaign in Libya.
Russia has criticised the bombing of Libya, saying the mission has lost its original focus on protecting civilians, and is now about removing the Libyan government. It abstained from the UN Security Council vote which authorised the action in Libya.
In a statement, Russia called for an “immediate ceasefire” and talks “with support, but not interference, from outside the country”.
But during a break in the meeting Rasmussen defended the Nato operation.
“The Russian side has voiced some concerns related to our operation in Libya,” he told reporters.
“We have stressed that we are carrying out this operation in strict conformity with the UN Security Council resolution.
“We have been mandated to take all necessary means to protect civilians against attacks and so far we have been very successful in protecting civilians,” he said.
