BRATISLAVA - NATO's bombing campaign in Libya has significantly degraded veteran leader Moammar Gadhafi's military power, the alliance's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said May 19.
"We have significantly degraded Gadhafi's war machine and now we see the results - the opposition has gained ground," Rasmussen said after talks in the Slovak capital Bratislava with President Ivan Gasparovic.
"The Gadhafi regime is more and more isolated every day," the NATO chief added.
"We will keep a strong military pressure on the Gadhafi regime and I'm confident that a combination of a strong military pressure and increased political pressure and support for the opposition will eventually lead to collapse of the regime."
The NATO chief elaborated three objectives of the alliance's campaign in Libya, and vowed to continue the mission until all were accomplished.
"There are three clear military objectives for our operation," Rasmussen told reporters.
"Firstly, a complete end to all attacks against civilians. Secondly, withdrawal of Gadhafi's military forces and paramilitary forces to their bases. And thirdly, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Libya.
"We will continue our operation until these objectives are fulfilled," he vowed.
Rasmussen stressed the NATO mission was restricted to enforcing the U.N.-mandated no-fly zone and that there were no plans for alliance troops to set foot on Libyan soil.
"We have no plans to change our strategy, we operate on the basis of U.N. mandate. In the U.N. resolution it is specifically excluded to put troops on the ground. We have no intention to put troops on the ground," Rasmussen said later May 19 following talks with Slovak foreign minister Mikulas Dzurinda.
"I believe we are able to carry out this mission within this mandate," he added.
With almost daily bombardments by NATO jets, acting under the U.N. mandate to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians, Gadhafi forces have lost control of vast swathes of the east of the country to anti-regime rebels.
But on May 19 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned the humanitarian crisis in Libya was worsening amid failed attempts to secure a ceasefire.
Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radicova, left, and NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen review an honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony May 19 in Bratislava. (Samuel Kubani / AFP via Getty Images)
"The Gadhafi regime is more and more isolated every day," the NATO chief added.
"We will keep a strong military pressure on the Gadhafi regime and I'm confident that a combination of a strong military pressure and increased political pressure and support for the opposition will eventually lead to collapse of the regime."
The NATO chief elaborated three objectives of the alliance's campaign in Libya, and vowed to continue the mission until all were accomplished.
"There are three clear military objectives for our operation," Rasmussen told reporters.
"Firstly, a complete end to all attacks against civilians. Secondly, withdrawal of Gadhafi's military forces and paramilitary forces to their bases. And thirdly, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need in Libya.
"We will continue our operation until these objectives are fulfilled," he vowed.
Rasmussen stressed the NATO mission was restricted to enforcing the U.N.-mandated no-fly zone and that there were no plans for alliance troops to set foot on Libyan soil.
"We have no plans to change our strategy, we operate on the basis of U.N. mandate. In the U.N. resolution it is specifically excluded to put troops on the ground. We have no intention to put troops on the ground," Rasmussen said later May 19 following talks with Slovak foreign minister Mikulas Dzurinda.
"I believe we are able to carry out this mission within this mandate," he added.
With almost daily bombardments by NATO jets, acting under the U.N. mandate to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians, Gadhafi forces have lost control of vast swathes of the east of the country to anti-regime rebels.
But on May 19 United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned the humanitarian crisis in Libya was worsening amid failed attempts to secure a ceasefire.
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