Bringing Home The Drones

Russia welcomed UN Security Council resolution 2016 lifting the no-fly zone over Libya, the Russian Foreign Ministry said today.

Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov

In a statement posted on his website, Russian Prime Minister, Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov said Moscow has repeatedly pointed out that NATO's operations in Libya had gone beyond previous UN Security Council resolutions that authorized the no-fly zone.

This has led to numerous casualties among civilians and inflicted serious damage on Libyan social and economic infrastructure due to massive NATO airstrikes.

The ministry said Moscow had sponsored the new resolution, as Libya had undergone fundamental changes and there was no longer a threat of a Gaddafi loyalist up-rising, thus, the coalition forces and operation has lost all grounds to remain in Libya.

He also said Russia will maintained friendly relations with Libya and is ready to assist in rebuilding the country into a democratic state and restore its economic infrastructure.

The Security Council unanimously backed the new resolution Thursday and the no-fly zone and civilian protection measures adopted earlier this year will cease on Monday.

Danish Defense Minister Nick Haekkerup

Denmark will also pull back its forces from Libya within next week, Danish Defense Minister Nick Haekkerup said yesterday.

After Monday, our personnel and aircraft will return home," he said.

In March, Denmark sent six F-16 fighter jets and personnel to support the NATO-led, UN-mandated intervention to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya.

There are currently 73 personnel deployed on the Libya mission and Haekkerup estimated that between 90 to 95 percent of them will return to Denmark after NATO's mandate there expires.

When the mission is over, we will pack our things as quickly as possible because we have nothing more to do there, he remarked.