EUFOR Libya: first decision approved
(BRUSSELS2) The diplomats have decided to speed up the work. Meeting twice in recent days, the experts of the "external relations" working group (Relex) have thus finalized a text for the Council's decision. This text (formerly called "Joint Action"), which sets the mandate of Eufor Libya - a European Union military operation and aims to provide humanitarian support in the region, should be approved this Friday (April 1) by written procedure.
The operational headquarters will be firmly established in Rome, as mentioned in the conclusions of the European Summit. Even if the hypothesis of an OHQ in Brussels was considered, this option was not retained, according to our information. The name of the operation commander was also endorsed, it is Rear-Admiral Claudio Gaudiosi (read here). He was present yesterday and today in Brussels in order to validate the last financial points (in particular the Athena mechanism) and to prepare the details of the operation. As usual, it is in fact the operation commander to prepare the OpPlan, the operation plan. According to several European officials who are closely following the file, EUFOR Libya for "start quickly"because it is"to go very fast now".
Card full of Italians
We can notice that the Italians are doing a "full card" on the multinational operations in Libya, offering both the different headquarters (Air, Sea, Joint) for NATO's "Unified protector" operation, and the commander from the maritime component, in charge of the arms embargo, Vice Admiral Rinaldo Veri; as the headquarters for the EU operation "Eufor Libya" as well as its operation commander. Without forgetting that in the diplomatic service, this operation is coordinated by the department "crisis response", led by an Italian, Agostino Miozzo.
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