The intentions of U.S., French and British leaders to carry on military operations in Libya until Muammar Gaddafi steps down are not covered by the UN Security Council resolution authorizing the operation, the French defense minister said on Friday.
U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron said in a joint article published on Friday in the International Herald Tribune, The Times and Le Figaro that the NATO operation should continue until Gaddafi steps down.
"This is definitely beyond the scope of Resolution 1973, since it says nothing about the future of Gaddafi," Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said in an interview with LCI news channel.
He said, however, that the UN Security Council could pass a resolution that did demand Gaddafi step down.
"I believe that when three great countries say the same thing it is important for the UN, and maybe some day the Security Council will make this decision," Longuet said, adding that the process of adopting a resolution requiring Gaddafi's departure could be stalled by such countries as Russia, China and Brazil.
On Thursday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the leaders of the BRICS nations - Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa - believe the situation in Libya should be resolved through diplomatic means.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya on March 17, paving the way for the military operation against embattled Libyan leader Gaddafi that began two days later. The command of the operation was shifted from a U.S.-led international coalition to NATO in late March.
PARIS, April 15 (RIA Novosti)
