Nato secretary-general Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Britain voiced optimism today that Nato allies would supply more combat planes for the Libyan mission, but Italy ruled out ordering its planes to open fire.
Britain and France are urging other Nato allies to provide more planes capable of hitting Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy's ground forces after Washington cut back its role in the operation and passed command onto Nato on March 31st.
"We have got indications that nations will deliver what is needed . . . I'm hopeful that we will get the necessary assets in the very near future," Mr Rasmussen told a news conference at a meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Berlin.
The leaders of France, Britain and the United States published a jointly written newspaper article on today vowing to keep up their military campaign until Col Gadafy leaves power. Some countries, such as Russia, say that goes beyond the terms of a UN Security Council resolution authorising the campaign.
Libyan rebels have pleaded for more air strikes, saying they face a massacre from government artillery barrages in the besieged city of Misrata.
However, the United States and European Nato allies have so far rebuffed French and British calls to contribute more actively.
British foreign secretary William Hague, who has been lobbying other Nato allies to provide more strike aircraft, also said after talks with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton that he was hopeful more strike assets would be made available.
Asked if Britain might be prepared to contribute more combat aircraft if other allies did not step forward, Mr Hague said: "We'll always keep that under review but . . . as of today this question doesn't arise."
Ms Clinton said Nato allies were searching for ways to provide funds to Libya's rebels and looking into how the rebels could sell oil from territory under their control.
"The opposition needs a lot of assistance, on the organisational side, on the humanitarian side, and on the military side," Ms Clinton told reporters in Berlin.
"There have been a number of discussions about how to best provide that assistance . . . who's willing to do what. We're also searching for ways to provide funding to the opposition.
"In addition to looking at how we can free up assets that could be used by the opposition, we're also looking at how the opposition could sell oil from sites that are under their control," she said.
Libyan rebels say they have been able to export only a small amount of crude oil with the help of Opec member Qatar but that they need international help to continue overseas shipments.
Russia used the meeting with Nato in Berlin to spell out its concerns that Western governments had overstepped the mandate of a United Nations resolution authorising a Libya no-fly zone.
"Today we see actions that in many cases go beyond the framework set by the Security Council. . . . We talked openly about it today with our [Nato] partners," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news briefing.
"We think it is extremely important not to support the moves in favour of using an excessive military force in order to resolve problems in Libya or any other country in the region."
Russia abstained but did not veto the UN Security Council resolution last month authorising force to protect civilians.
Nato officials say the alliance is short of about 10 aircraft for air strikes. A French official named Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden as countries that could do more.
Reuters