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NATO Secretary General Praises NATO Military on the Conduct of the Operation Unified Protector


NAPLES–(ENEWSPF)–8 July 2011. Today in Allied Joint Forces Command Naples, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen received an operational briefing from senior military leaders directing the Alliance’s operation over Libya in support of the UN Security Council Resolution 1970 and 1973.

He paid tribute to the service men and women from NATO allies and partners for their service, dedication and professionalism: “This is a complex campaign and we are continuing to fulfill our mandate. We are doing so with great care and extraordinary precision”, the Secretary General said.

During his visit, the Secretary General held meetings with Lieutenant-General Charles Bouchard, Commander of the Operation, and his command group. He received a detailed operational update on recent operations at sea and in the skies over Libya. The briefing provided the Secretary General with the latest efforts to ensure the arms embargo at sea and to neutralize military equipment and command and control nodes being used to threaten or attack civilians.

Rear-Admiral Rinaldo Veri, the Commander of the operation’s maritime component, briefed the Secretary General on arms embargo activities in the Central Mediterranean. On air operations, Lieutenant General Ralph Jodice III, Commander of the air component of the operation, briefed the Secretary General on the no-fly zone and the operation’s activities to protect civilians from attacks and from the threat of attacks.

“The arms embargo is effective, the no-fly zone is effective, and we are continuing to protect civilians against attacks and the threat of attack. So NATO and our partners are doing the military job we were mandated to do,” the Secretary General said.

This visit and operational update comes on the heels of a meeting with South African President Zuma and Russian President Medvedev in Sochi last week, and ahead of the Secretary General’s participation in the Contact Group in Istanbul on 15 July.

Source: nato.int


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