EU, NATO Have No Plan For Combat Intervention In Mali
- 11 years ago
The European Union has no plans to give any combat role to its upcoming military training mission in Mali, an EU foreign policy spokesman said on Monday (January 14), following France's intervention in the sub-Saharan state against al Qaeda-linked Islamists last week.
The EU plans instead to speed up preparations to send military trainers for the Malian army. This mission is now expected to start in late February or early March.
"We are speeding up preparations. As for now, what I can say is that the mission will probably be launched during the second half of February or in early March. This is how things are planned now," spokesman Michael Mann told a daily briefing.
Mann said the format of the mission will not be changed for now, confirming that a combat mission by the European Union could be ruled out.
Islamist rebels in Mali launched a counter-offensive on Monday after three days of strikes by French fighter jets on their strongholds in the desert north.
At another media event, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance welcomed France's military intervention.
"We welcome the efforts of the international community in support of the implementation of the United Nations security council resolution 2085. France has taken swift action to roll back the offensive by the terrorist groups in Mali and we are hopeful that such efforts will help restore the rule of law in Mali and also reduce the threats posed by terrorist organizations. The alliance as such is not involved in this crisis," Lungescu told reporters at a briefing.
She added that the situation poses a security threat well beyond Mali itself but that there had been no request to NATO nor any discussion within the alliance about the crisis.
France is determined to end Islamist domination of northern Mali, which many fear could act as a launchpad for attacks on the West and a base for coordination with al Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.
-Reuters
The EU plans instead to speed up preparations to send military trainers for the Malian army. This mission is now expected to start in late February or early March.
"We are speeding up preparations. As for now, what I can say is that the mission will probably be launched during the second half of February or in early March. This is how things are planned now," spokesman Michael Mann told a daily briefing.
Mann said the format of the mission will not be changed for now, confirming that a combat mission by the European Union could be ruled out.
Islamist rebels in Mali launched a counter-offensive on Monday after three days of strikes by French fighter jets on their strongholds in the desert north.
At another media event, NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said the alliance welcomed France's military intervention.
"We welcome the efforts of the international community in support of the implementation of the United Nations security council resolution 2085. France has taken swift action to roll back the offensive by the terrorist groups in Mali and we are hopeful that such efforts will help restore the rule of law in Mali and also reduce the threats posed by terrorist organizations. The alliance as such is not involved in this crisis," Lungescu told reporters at a briefing.
She added that the situation poses a security threat well beyond Mali itself but that there had been no request to NATO nor any discussion within the alliance about the crisis.
France is determined to end Islamist domination of northern Mali, which many fear could act as a launchpad for attacks on the West and a base for coordination with al Qaeda in Yemen, Somalia and North Africa.
-Reuters