By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Brussels : The Russia-NATO Council will discuss the current state of affairs in Libya and ways to resolve the ongoing conflict Tuesday in Brussels.
Russia’s envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said late last week that the Council will meet “to confirm the limits that the UN Security Council placed on the participants of the conflict”.
Rogozin also reiterated Russia’s position saying that “holding [military] ground operations will be qualified as occupying Libya and that directly contradicts the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council”.
NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said Monday that no foreign troops will be deployed and there will be no NATO presence on the ground in Libya.
On Sunday, NATO began taking command of all aerial operations in Libya from the US-led force. The transfer of authority will take up to three days.
The UN Security Council resolution adopted March 17 imposed a no-fly zone over Libya and measures to protect civilians from Gaddafi’s forces.
Western-led military strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, whose forces have been attacking rebels in the east of the North African country since mid-February, began last Saturday.