Sweden to join coalition

At the conference on Libya post-Gaddafi attended by representatives of 40 countries and international institutions in London on 30 March, which concluded with discussions on arming rebel forces, the Swedish government declared that it is "ready to leave for Libya". An announcement taken up by the front page headline in Svenska Dagbladet. The daily explains that “Stockholm will contribute eight Saab Gripen fighters to Operation Odyssey Dawn, in the interest of mutual assistance between the countries of the EU." The decision is also in line with the declaration of solidarity with NATO signed by Sweden, which is not a member of the organisation. It is the first time since the Congo Crisis in 1961 that the country, which abandoned its policy of neutrality in the nineties, has provided aircraft for a UN mission, notes Svenska Dagbladet.