Turkey Opposes NATO Military Intervention In Libya

3/14/2011

(RTTNews) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that his country was opposed to any sort of NATO military intervention in Libya, warning that such a move could lead to dangerous consequences.

"We see that outside intervention, particularly military intervention, doesn't solve the problem. To the contrary, it deepens it," Erdogan was quoted as saying while addressing a two-day Leaders of Change Summit in Istanbul.

"A NATO intervention to Libya or any other country will be ineffective. Beyond ineffective, it might be dangerous," the Turkish Prime Minister added.

Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance, had earlier objected to any kind of military intervention in Libya, stressing that the 28-member military alliance can intervene militarily only when a member nation is attacked.

The developments come as Britain and France are pressing the international community, especially the UN Security Council, the European Union and the NATO, to enforce a no-fly-zone over Libya to prevent the deaths of civilians in government air raids.

A UN resolution drafted by the two nations is expected to be debated upon by the UN Security Council later in the day. The issue is being debated upon during the G8 foreign ministers meeting progressing in Paris.

The French-British resolution was debated by NATO defense ministers last Thursday. But the NATO ministers also failed to take a final decision on the issue after Germany and the United States rejected the proposal on grounds that the western alliance does not have UN authorization or the regional support required for such direct military action.

However, the proposal has since gained some regional support since then, with the Arab League, a grouping of Arab states considered to a major player in the Middle-East region, backing the enforcement of the no-fly-zone over the weekend.

The developments came amidst an ongoing revolt against the more than four-decade-long autocratic rule of Col. Qadhafi in Libya. He has been ruling oil-rich north African country since a coup in 1969, making him Africa's longest serving leader.

Opposition fighters are believed to be in control of most of the country's eastern region, including the cities of Benghazi and Ajdabiya. Nevertheless, Qadhafi loyalists are still holding on to their stronghold of capital Tripoli and several nearby towns, and are making steady advances towards the east while consolidating their hold on western Libya.

The rebels, who are reportedly struggling to counter the superior fire-power of pro-Qadhafi forces, have been repeatedly requesting the international community to enforce a no-fly-zone over Libya to prevent the Qadhafi regime from using military aircraft against them. They, however, oppose the presence of foreign troops on Libyan soil.

Source: RTT News.
Link: http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Id=1575304&SM=1.