France: NATO operation in Libya 'finished'
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Xinhua, October 21, 2011
NATO's military operation in Libya can call an end now that Muammar Gaddafi was killed, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe was quoted by local media on Friday.
"I think we can say that the military operation is finished, that the whole of Libyan territory is under the control of the National Transitional Council (NTC) and that, subject to a few transitory measures in the week to come, the NATO operation has arrived at its end," Juppe said to Europe 1 radio from India during an official visit.
On Thursday night, Juppe said NATO operation in Libya arrived its moment to leave when the NTC claimed the liberation of all Libyan territory.
The coalition's goal was not to kill Gaddafi but "to force him to abandon power," Juppe added, expecting the NTC to capture him and judge him.
According to the NTC, a French aircraft hindered Gaddafi's convoy from escaping by firing and helped the capture of the ousted Libyan strongman.
Libyan transitional authority announced Gaddafi's death on Thursday, which deemed by several big powers, including the United States, Britain and France a major step to democracy and reconciliation in Libya where Gaddafi had ruled for 42 years.
