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Gaddafi is not a NATO target: Rasmussen

Xinhua, September 9, 2011

• NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday that the alliance will maintain its operations in Libya and the fallen Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is not a NATO target.

  During his visit to the Portugal, Rasmussen stressed that NATO' s goal in the North African country is not to capture Gaddafi.

  "We are not there to capture Gaddafi. Our only goal is to protect the civilians. Gaddafi is not our target," he said, adding that "We will operate in the country as long as there are civilians in risk".

  He said that NATO will be in Libya until the Libyan National Transition Council can be able to guarantee the safety of the population, but taking into account the UN Security Council decisions.

  During the visit, Rasmussen discussed with Portuguese Defense Minister Jose Aguiar Branco the restructuring of the alliance. He claimed that NATO countries should share their military equipment and specialize themselves in different areas, without dispersing their investments.

  In order to have a more effective defense system, the countries should cooperate more in what he called "smart defense".

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