PARIS, March 22 (Xinhua) — French Prime Minister Francois Fillion said Tuesday that an option of sending ground troop to Libya was excluded, reiterating that it will limit the military operation within the range of UN resolution 1973 on Libya.”It’s not a war against Libya. It’s an operation of civil protection as it consisted in protecting Libyans by openly excluding sending forces to occupy the ground,” the premier told deputies in the National Assembly.
“The use of force was the result of a series of diplomatic actions aimed at stemming Gaddafi violence. We have always been clear that the intervention’s objective is to protect civilians,” Fillion stressed.
Critics said the military intervention in Libya started by France is on paper a move to protect civilians but on reality an attempt to let foreign powers put their hands on the country’s strategic oil sites.
France was the first country to recognize the Libyan National Transition Council and said to have regular contacts with members of the rebels’ political body.
Last week, the UN Security Council passed the resolution 1973 backing to impose a no-fly zone on Libya and “all necessary measures” to protect civilians, but gave no leeway for foreign ground troops to enter into Libya.
