Cautious Reception for EU Security Role in Libya
By LAURENCE NORMAN
Wall Street Journal
March 16, 2015 2:18 p.m. ET
BRUSSELS—European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will present options for a possible EU security role in Libya by next month, she said Monday, even while some governments appear cautious about deeper involvement in the crisis.
Foreign ministers discussed the Libyan conflict at a meeting Monday in Brussels. The meeting comes as the United Nations is leading talks aimed at securing a cease-fire and building a national unity authority out of two rival factions both claiming to be the country’s legitimate government. Those talks resume Thursday.
There are growing concerns that the fighting between the two groups is creating space for the Islamic State extremist group to build a presence in Libya, which has descended into chaos since a western-led force ousted former Jamahiriya leader and African Union Chairman Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
After Monday’s meeting, EU foreign ministers said in a statement the bloc “stands ready to enhance its support to Libya” and to help build the country’s capacity to fight terrorism.
The group tasked Ms. Mogherini with presenting options for civilian or military operations in Libya “in support of the security arrangements.”
“We don't see alternatives to the political dialogue to succeed. What we are preparing for is European Union measures to support the outcome of the political process,” Ms. Mogherini said Monday evening after the meeting.
“We are narrowing the scope of our preparation and so I would expect that at the latest in the next Foreign Affairs Council in April, I will come with concrete proposals.”
In recent days, Ms. Mogherini has set out a range of possible actions the bloc could take to shore up the security situation in Libya if talks aimed at constructing a national unity government are successful.
She has said that could include actions to provide security at key infrastructure—possibly including ports, roads and airport—as well as possible naval activities to help contain threats. The bloc could also send a mission which could monitor a cease-fire, secure the borders and contain the thousands of people seeking to cross from Libya to Europe.
She has also said the EU would be ready to cooperate with a new Libyan regime to stem the threat posed by Islamic State.
However, EU diplomats said some of the bloc’s member states are cautious about diving into a much bigger role in Libya, where western interests have come under attack since the September 2012 large-scale attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, which killed four Americans including the ambassador.
The diplomats say concerns have been raised about the EU’s capabilities for taking on a broad mission in Libya and the importance of ensuring any mission mandate is carefully crafted and takes place in the right environment. There is little enthusiasm for any mission which would place soldiers from members states on the ground, diplomats say.
That means any proposals from Ms, Mogherini could take some months to advance.
“I think at the moment, we’ve got to establish a cease-fire and get some unity between the warring factions within Libya before we can talk about how we might then support a peace, if there is a peace to support,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Monday.
The EU currently has a border management mission for Libya. The operation has been based in Tunisia because of the growing violence in Libya. The mission expires in late May.
Write to Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com
Wall Street Journal
March 16, 2015 2:18 p.m. ET
BRUSSELS—European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will present options for a possible EU security role in Libya by next month, she said Monday, even while some governments appear cautious about deeper involvement in the crisis.
Foreign ministers discussed the Libyan conflict at a meeting Monday in Brussels. The meeting comes as the United Nations is leading talks aimed at securing a cease-fire and building a national unity authority out of two rival factions both claiming to be the country’s legitimate government. Those talks resume Thursday.
There are growing concerns that the fighting between the two groups is creating space for the Islamic State extremist group to build a presence in Libya, which has descended into chaos since a western-led force ousted former Jamahiriya leader and African Union Chairman Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.
After Monday’s meeting, EU foreign ministers said in a statement the bloc “stands ready to enhance its support to Libya” and to help build the country’s capacity to fight terrorism.
The group tasked Ms. Mogherini with presenting options for civilian or military operations in Libya “in support of the security arrangements.”
“We don't see alternatives to the political dialogue to succeed. What we are preparing for is European Union measures to support the outcome of the political process,” Ms. Mogherini said Monday evening after the meeting.
“We are narrowing the scope of our preparation and so I would expect that at the latest in the next Foreign Affairs Council in April, I will come with concrete proposals.”
In recent days, Ms. Mogherini has set out a range of possible actions the bloc could take to shore up the security situation in Libya if talks aimed at constructing a national unity government are successful.
She has said that could include actions to provide security at key infrastructure—possibly including ports, roads and airport—as well as possible naval activities to help contain threats. The bloc could also send a mission which could monitor a cease-fire, secure the borders and contain the thousands of people seeking to cross from Libya to Europe.
She has also said the EU would be ready to cooperate with a new Libyan regime to stem the threat posed by Islamic State.
However, EU diplomats said some of the bloc’s member states are cautious about diving into a much bigger role in Libya, where western interests have come under attack since the September 2012 large-scale attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, which killed four Americans including the ambassador.
The diplomats say concerns have been raised about the EU’s capabilities for taking on a broad mission in Libya and the importance of ensuring any mission mandate is carefully crafted and takes place in the right environment. There is little enthusiasm for any mission which would place soldiers from members states on the ground, diplomats say.
That means any proposals from Ms, Mogherini could take some months to advance.
“I think at the moment, we’ve got to establish a cease-fire and get some unity between the warring factions within Libya before we can talk about how we might then support a peace, if there is a peace to support,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond on Monday.
The EU currently has a border management mission for Libya. The operation has been based in Tunisia because of the growing violence in Libya. The mission expires in late May.
Write to Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com
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