Disagreement over arming the rebels battling Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi emerged on Wednesday with at least three of the countries enforcing the no-fly zone over the country opposing the idea.
Russia also criticised the proposal, amid dissent within NATO over the conduct of the whole Libyan operation.
Both France and the United States have raised the possibility of arming the rebels though critics have said such a move would go beyond the terms of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which provides for the protection of civilians.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday that Paris was prepared to discuss with its allies the supply of military aid to the rebels, whose disorganised fighters are facing stiff opposition from Gaddafi’s forces despite being aided by coalition air strikes.
Speaking at an international conference in London, Juppe conceded that that arming or training the rebels was not covered by two UN Security Council resolutions on Libya in recent weeks.
“This is not allowed by either Resolution 1973 or Resolution 1970. For the time being, France is sticking to the strict application of these resolutions,” he said.
“Having said that, we are prepared to discuss this with our partners,” he told reporters after the conference to map out Libya’s future, which concluded that Gaddafi should step down.
British Prime Minister David Cameron refused Wednesday to rule out arming the rebels.
Arms embargo
Asked in Parliament what Britain’s policy was, given the existence of a UN arms embargo on Libya, Cameron replied: “We do not rule it out but we have not taken the decision to do so.”
The British hosts of the meeting and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had both said the issue of arming the rebels was not discussed at the London talks.
US President Barack Obama says the aim of the mission is not to oust Kadhafi by force, although he said Tuesday that he was confident the Libyan leader would “ultimately step down”.
But NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told CNN that the mission’s aim is to shield civilians, not arm the rebellion.
“The UN mandate authorises the enforcement of an arms embargo,” Rasmussen told the US news network on Monday. “We are not in Libya to arm people, but to protect people.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday said Moscow believed that foreign powers did not have the right to arm Libyan rebels under the mandate approved by the UN Security Council “and here, we completely agree with the NATO Secretary General”.
Norway, which has provided six F-16s to enforce the no-fly zone, also ruled out arming the rebels, with Defence Minister Grete Faremo saying on a visit to the aircrew in Crete that such a move was “not on the agenda”.
Belgium voiced its opposition Wednesday, warning that the move could alienate Arab nations.
Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere, whose country has also deployed fighter jets as part of the NATO-led campaign, said providing weapons to the insurgents would be “a step too far”.
“This would cost us the support of the Arab world,” he said.
Danish news agency Ritzau on Wednesday quoted Foreign Minister Lene Espersen as saying Copenhagen, another participant in enforcing the no-fly zone, was also against arming the rebels.
“We have said very clearly that we do not want to be an active party to a civil war,” she said.
“We are present militarily to protect civilian populations but we do not want to take the extra step by beginning to supply weapons to one side.”
Germany and Turkey have not hidden their reservations about the whole Libyan operation, with Germany refusing to take part. — Sapa-AFP