NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on NATO agreement
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen spoke exclusively with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer to describe the NATO agreement reached on Libya. This live interview happened today during the 6 p.m. hour of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, moments after the agreement was announced. A highlight and a full transcript from the interview are after the jump.
Please credit all usage of the interview to CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
Highlight from Full Interview
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Because during these first six days, as you know, Secretary-General, if Gadhafi’s tanks were moving against rebel forces or their artillery was going in towards areas controlled by the rebels, firing their weapons, planes would go in — whether French planes, U.S. planes, British planes — and attack those ground forces of the Libyan military.
Is — what you’re saying is that there’s no agreement yet on whether this new NATO operation would authorize those kinds of attacks on Libyan government forces?
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: What we have decided today is to take responsibility for the no-fly zone with the aim to protect civilians by closing the air space for all flights, except aid flights, all with the aim to protect civilians.
Of course, we can act in self defense. We have not decided yet whether we will take on the broader responsibility.
This means that right at this moment you will have two operations. We have taken on responsibility for the no-fly zone, while the coalition still continues its activities.
But as I told you, we are considering whether we should take on that broader responsibility. However, that decision has not been made yet.
Full Interview
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: We’re standing by to go to Brussels to speak with the NATO secretary-general, Anders Rasmussen. We’ll get to him — in fact, I think we’re — he’s ready right now.
Secretary-General, this is Wolf in Washington, can you hear me?
ANDERS FOGH RASMUSSEN, NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL: Yes, I hear you, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right.
So tell us, Secretary-General, what NATO has now agreed to. We know you were in hectic meetings all day. What is the — what is the announcement you’re ready to tell our viewers here in the United States and around the world?
RASMUSSEN: NATO has now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya. We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect the civilians against the attacks by the Gadhafi regime. We will cooperate closely with our partners in the region and we welcome their contributions.
All NATO allies are committed to fulfill their commitments under the U.N. resolution, and that’s why we have decided to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone.
BLITZER: When does NATO assume this responsibility from the United States?
RASMUSSEN: We have done all the necessary preparations so we can take over in a couple of days.
BLITZER: By this weekend, you will be — NATO will be in charge.
Will the overall NATO commander be someone from France, from Britain, someone from Denmark, where you’re from? Who will be in charge?
RASMUSSEN: We will use the already established NATO chain of command.
BLITZER: So — so who will be the commander of the operation?
RASMUSSEN: Yes, that’s for the military authorities to — to decide. The NATO Council does not make — make that decision.
BLITZER: Do you know if they’ve already made that —
RASMUSSEN: But the —
BLITZER: — decision, Secretary-General?
RASMUSSEN: Yes, but we will use the already established NATO framework, which means that it is a NATO supreme commander who will be the overall responsible.
He is, by the way, an American, but a NATO commander.
BLITZER: So — well, I — I want to be precise, because we know that the NATO supreme allied commander is always an American. So are you saying that this operation will be commanded by the U.S. — the U.S. commander of NATO?
RASMUSSEN: No — yes, it will be a NATO command.
But I also have to say that we will include contributing partners from the region in — in — in this operation. It’s of utmost importance to stress that this is not primarily a NATO operation. It is an inter — a broad international effort in which we will include partners from the region that have pledged to contribute to this protection of civilians in Libya.
BLITZER: Now, so the operation will be consistent with what’s been going on for the past week, almost a week, in accordance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, that it will not only create a no-fly zone, but will use all necessary means to protect civilians in Libya; is that correct?
RASMUSSEN: What we have decided today is that NATO will enforce the no-fly zone. We are considering whether NATO should take on that broader responsibility, but that decision has not been made yet.
BLITZER: Well, it sounds like —
RASMUSSEN: The decision that has been —
BLITZER: — that there’s a —
RASMUSSEN: — made is —
BLITZER: It sounds like there’s a —
RASMUSSEN: — to take on —
BLITZER: — dispute with — among the NATO allies, whether this other responsibility to protect civilians in Libya, whether that should be the responsibility of NATO or someone else should take that responsibility.
Is that a fair description?
RASMUSSEN: No. There is no split. On the contrary, there is a unity within NATO. We have decided, all 28 allies, that we will take on the responsibility for the no-fly zone. We are, right now, considering whether we should take on the broader responsibility within the U.N. Security Council resolution.
But, anyway, it will take place a part of that broad international effort to protect civilians.
BLITZER: Because during these first six days, as you know, Secretary-General, if Gadhafi’s tanks were moving against rebel forces or their artillery was going in towards areas controlled by the rebels, firing their weapons, planes would go in — whether French planes, U.S. planes, British planes — and attack those ground forces of the Libyan military.
Is — what you’re saying is that there’s no agreement yet on whether this new NATO operation would authorize those kinds of attacks on Libyan government forces?
RASMUSSEN: What we have decided today is to take responsibility for the no-fly zone with the aim to protect civilians by closing the air space for all flights, except aid flights, all with the aim to protect civilians.
Of course, we can act in self defense. We have not decided yet whether we will take on the broader responsibility.
This means that right at this moment you will have two operations. We have taken on responsibility for the no-fly zone, while the coalition still continues its activities.
But as I told you, we are considering whether we should take on that broader responsibility. However, that decision has not been made yet.
BLITZER: All right. Well, I think you’re very clear and I understand what you’re saying, that NATO will be in charge of the no-fly zone, but the United States and its coalition partners, at least for now, until NATO makes a final decision, will continue to be in charge of protecting civilians from Libyan tanks or artillery or — or any ground fire, and if they want to send in planes to — to destroy those tanks, that will not be the NATO operation, that will be a separate coalition operation.
I think I’m clear as to what you’re saying, but correct me if I’m wrong, Secretary-General.
RASMUSSEN: Yes, but I would add that we are actually considering, right now, whether we should take on that broader responsibility in cooperation with partners from the region.
BLITZER: And when do you think you’ll make that final decision on expanding the NATO operation to include this — this other mission?
RASMUSSEN: I — without predicting the outcome of our deliberations, I think we might be able to take that decision within the coming days.
BLITZER: Within the coming days. All right, well, thank you very much for joining us. Anders Rasmussen is the NATO secretary-general, the former prime minister — prime minister of Denmark, is that right?
RASMUSSEN: Yes, indeed.
BLITZER: And we —
RASMUSSEN: You’re welcome. Thank you.
BLITZER: We’ve met here in Washington and he’s a very good man. And he was generous to — to share the — the news with all of us here on CNN around the world. The secretary-general of NATO, Anders Rasmussen.
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