Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

On 1 April 2011, the Council of the European Union adopted the decision, underpinning the mandates of UN Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973 (2011), establishing an operation called "EUFOR Libya" to stand ready to support humanitarian assistance in the region if requested by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA. This decision provides the legal framework for Operation EUFOR Libya. However, any decision to launch the EU military operation would require a further decision of the EU Council and must be preceded by a request from OCHA.

The aim of this mission would be to contribute to the safe movement and evacuation of displaced persons and support, with specific capabilities, the humanitarian agencies in their activities. To ensure the European Union is in a position to respond quickly to any such request from OCHA the Council decision provided for the establishment of an operational headquarters in Rome to undertake initial planning for any such mission. It also provided for the appointment of an operational commander. Ireland has been requested by the operational commander to deploy two Defence Forces personnel to the headquarters in Rome. This matter is under consideration in my Department and any such proposal will be subject to Government approval under the Defence Acts.

At present, the UN position is that there is currently no requirement for the deployment of military assets for humanitarian purposes. OCHA has reiterated that military assets should only be used for humanitarian purposes when all civilian alternatives are fully explored and it is operating on this basis. Therefore, it is unlikely the European Union will be called upon to deploy such a mission in support of OCHA in the immediate future.

As I understand it, there are no plans to deploy the Nordic battle group as part of the EUFOR Libya military mission and we did not have any discussion in that regard. If deployed, EUFOR Libya would not be an occupation force but an operation to support humanitarian assistance in the region. All EU forces operating as part of EUFOR Libya would honour the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs guidelines on impartiality and neutrality. The operation, if launched, would remain independent of any armed or political faction and exclude any occupation of or attempt to occupy Libyan territory. Any deployment of EUFOR Libya would be conducted in close co-ordination and complementarity with the other international actors operating in the region and neighbouring countries, including Egypt and Tunisia.

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