BRUSSELS - NATO's military operations in Libya are very close to completion and the alliance's partners have taken a preliminary decision to end the campaign on Oct. 31, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday.
"We agreed that our operations are very close to completion and we have taken a preliminary decision to end Operation Unified Protector on Oct. 31," Rasmussen told a news conference after a meeting of NATO ambassadors in Brussels."(Until Oct. 31) NATO will monitor the situation and retain the capacity to respond to threats to civilians, if needed," he added.
He said the alliance would take a formal decision early next week on ending the operation: "In the meantime, I will consult closely with the United Nations and the National Transitional Council."
