Eunavfor Med would see several operational phases obviously compliant with International Law. We use the conditional because without the resolution or the UN legitimation, this mission would not go out into the deep. The resolution is under consideration these days.
According to some information sources already disclosed in these days, the first phase would concern the planning of operations together with that of surveillance and blocking of the traffic network in the central-southern Mediterranean. The second and third phase would focus on the search and complete destruction of the smugglers' operational networks, actions initiated in accordance with the Libyan authorities and according to International Law.
The Eunavfor Med mission would be commanded by Division Admiral Enrico Credendino - among his latest assignments the leadership of the European naval force engaged in the Atalanta anti-piracy mission in Somalia. The headquarters would be located in the former Roman airport of Centocelle which also houses the IOC, the Operational Command of the Joint Forces. Here the admiral together with a staff of about forty officers from various countries could also coordinate the activity of Eunavfor Med with that of the NATO mission in the Mediterranean Active Endeavor of a European device.
The flagship (it could be one of the two Italian aircraft carriers, the Garibaldi or the modern Cavour, but there are hypotheses about the use also as a command ship of one of the three San Giorgio, San Giusto, San Marco units) would be commanded by a another Italian admiral, Furthermore, we would assume the presence of other Italian units: probably 4 or 5 and the ships of several other European countries, such as Great Britain, France, Germany and Spain.
Central in these cases is the role of Intelligence, which is fundamental for what will be the main activity, ie the interception and removal of boats. The information must necessarily be shared by the various services that already have a "well established and extensive network" in the Libyan area. It is on the basis of this information - crossed with aerial images of the situation on the ground coming from the Predator unmanned aircraft, Tornado fighters and other reconnaissance planes - the planned blitz of special forces aimed at destroying boats in ports would be planned and carried out .
The decision of this mission was also accepted by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) together with its 2300 members of 130 countries.
"It is reassuring to see the efforts of European Union leaders towards this endless Mediterranean crisis beyond the search and rescue of the Triton mission, trying to defeat human trafficking and the affair of scapers, which are increasingly increasing this humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea, "commented Giles Noakes, chief of BIMCO.
Maria Grazia Labellarte
