LIBYA

European Union Wants to Bring In Ground Troops in Libya

Move awaits UN approval.

The European Union is seeking approval from the United Nations for a plan to deploy up to 1,000 ground troops in Libya. This mission to “secure sea and land corridors inside the country” would be largest and riskiest operation of its kind ever undertaken by Brussels. Since the beginning of April, diplomats from all 27 member states have signed a 61-page document on the concept of operations for the mission, dubbed “Eufor Libya.” The mission will not be finalized unless a request for an EU military mission came from the UN's Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, whose head has reportedly privately told EU leaders that she is reluctant to make the request without exploring more civilian options. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said last week he would “appreciate” it if the EU could take the initiative on the humanitarian mission.