THE DISPUTE over Nato’s role in the multinational intervention in Libya resurfaced yesterday when French president Nicolas Sarkozy said giving the Atlantic alliance leadership of the mission would play into Muammar Gadafy’s hands.
The US, France and Britain agreed on Thursday that Nato, which is already enforcing an arms embargo in the Mediterranean, would take command of the no-fly zone over Libya. Agreement however has yet to be reached on the leadership for more sensitive operations such as the bombing of ground forces and military installations.
With the US keen to relinquish command of the Libyan operations quickly, Washington and London are pressing for Nato to be given control. British prime minister David Cameron said yesterday that, having taken on responsibility for the no-fly zone, Nato was “also planning for command of the wider operation”.
The alliance’s role was played down by Mr Sarkozy, who said it would “be playing into the hands of Col Gadafy” to say that Nato was in charge. France argues that Nato leadership would cost the coalition credibility in the Arab world and has pressed for the creation of a multinational steering group that would have political oversight of the mission.
Meanwhile, in Benghazi yesterday, thousands of worshippers gathered for Friday prayers in a square next to the seafront courthouse turned graffiti-covered rebel headquarters.
Among the banners held aloft by the crowd were French and British flags, and a large sign which read: “Thanks to USA” – references to nations involved in the coalition air strikes.
The cleric leading prayers thanked the allies for their intervention and called for solidarity with residents of Misurata and Zintan, two cities in western Libya currently besieged by forces loyal to Col Gadafy.
Two hours drive away, fighting continued in the key town of Ajdabiya, the last town before the rebel stronghold of Benghazi. Rebels aiming for a new advance on the town, which is held by regime forces, yesterday moved in trucks carrying multiple rocket launchers and pick-ups mounted with heavy machine guns after British Tornado warplanes struck government military vehicles in the town.
A dispute between France and Turkey, a Nato member and a sharp critic of the coalition’s operations in Libya this week, appeared to have eased after a series of phone calls involving US president Barack Obama, Mr Sarkozy and Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A final decision on the new command and control structure is expected early next week, with foreign ministers from participating countries due to meet in London on Tuesday.
Nato has already begun to build up its operational presence to enforce the aerial blockade. The alliance said yesterday it was planning for a three-month no-fly zone operation but that it could extend it if necessary.
Its mission, which will be run from a command centre in Naples, Italy, is expected to involve five to 10 surveillance planes, 10 to 15 refuelling tankers and dozens of fighter jets.
A French jet destroyed an artillery battery in the central town of Ajdabiya, the French armed forces reported yesterday, while British Tornado jets carried out missile strikes on armoured vehicles threatening Ajdabiya, where rebels were routed earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Qatar has become the first Arab country to begin patrolling a no-fly zone, the coalition taskforce said in a statement.
The United Arab Emirates announced on Thursday it would join the coalition, but it has not yet begun flying missions.