Malta distances itself from calls for Nato command of Libya no-fly zone

The call made by Italian foreign Minister Franco Frattini has split the anti-Gaddafi coalition which for the fourth consecutive night, launched missile attacks on military installations around the North African country to enforce a no-fly zone.

Commenting to MaltaToday, foreign minister Tonio Borg stressed that he had no contact with Frattini on the command lead in the no-fly zone.

Frattini said that in the very first phase of the operation it had been necessary to move quickly and individual forces had been left under national command to stop the immediate attacks on rebel forces.

"But now this action, which everyone judged unacceptable, has been stopped, it's time to get back to the rules," he told RAI radio yesterday.

"The rules say there should be a single coordination, shared responsibility, each member of the coalition has to share in the choices that are made and pay the political price," he said.