NATO members struck a deal in principle today to take over command of military operations in Libya within days from the coalition led by Britain, France and the United States.
"NATO countries are in agreement to launch final planning enabling it to take over the command from the coaliton Monday or Tuesday," said the diplomat, who asked not to be named.
Another diplomatic source cautioned however that details remain to be worked out over a no-fly zone enforced by the coalition since Saturday due to Ankara's continued objections to strikes againstthe Muammar Gaddafi regime.
After days of difficult talks, discussions continued late today at NATO's Brussels headquarters.
In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also announced the NATO takeover after a conference call with his US, French and British counterparts.
"The coalition formed after a meeting in Paris is going to give up its mission as soon as possible and hand over the entire operation to NATO with its single command structure," Davutoglu said, according to Anatolia news agency.
Several NATO allies, including Britain and Italy, wanted the 28-member alliance to run the show.
But Paris argued that flying the mission under NATO's flag would alienate Arab allies suspicious of the Western military machine.
Few Arab states have joined the military campaign, with Qatar the only nation contributing fighter jets.
Turkey, NATO's sole Muslim member, has offered a submarine and vessels to enforce an arms embargo on the seas. And in Ankara, parliament Thursday approved the dispatch of a naval force as the Islamist-rooted government moved reluctantly to join military action despite anger at Western-led air raids.
Meanwhile, the United States urged the Libyan military to stop obeying the orders of Muammar Gaddafi as coalition air strikes bombarded targets in Tripoli and elsewhere for a sixth day.
"Our message is simple: stop fighting, stop killing your own people, stop obeying the orders of Colonel Gaddafi," Vice Admiral William Gortney told reporters at a Pentagon briefing.
He also said that more than 350 aircraft are now taking part in coalition operations against Libya, slightly over half of them American.
"It's fair to say the coalition is growing in both size and capability every day," he said.