(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The European Union (EU) Council of Ministers on Monday adopted a positive assessment that the conditions to move to the first step of phase two on the high seas of the naval operation EUNAVFOR MED have been met.
The Council noted in a statement that the naval operation has fulfilled all military objectives related to phase 1 which focused on collection and analysis of information and intelligence.
It announced that a conference on the number of forces that will be provided by the participating EU countries and which will also approve rules of engagement for phase 2 on the high seas will be held soon.
Once these rules are agreed and the Operation Commander indicates that he has the required assets, the EU Ambassadors within the Political and Security Committee will decide when to launch the first step of phase 2, it noted.
"This important transition will enable the EU naval operation against human smugglers and traffickers in the Mediterranean to conduct boarding, search, seizure and diversion on the high seas of vessels suspected of being used for human smuggling or trafficking, within international law," added the statement.
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