Bulgaria cannot commit to taking part in direct military action against the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi authorized by the UN, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov announced.

Late Thursday night the UN Security Council adopted by 10 votes in favor and five abstaining (Russia, China, Germany, India, and Brazil) a resolution co-sponsored by the USA, UK, France, and Lebanon providing for the establishment of a no-fly zone over Libya and for further sanctions against the Gaddafi regime.

The resolution came at a time when Gaddafi's forces were closing in on the opposition rebels' capital Benghazi; it is intended to prevent Gaddafi from continuing to utilize his aviation for air strikes against the rebels and civilians, and for moving reinforcements.

"Bulgaria is going to comply fully with the UN Security Council resolution adopted last night. I have started this morning the process of full inspection of the system that we have to introduce so that the sanctions against Libya are in place," Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov declared on Friday.

He underscored that the major priority for Bulgaria in Libya's case remains the humanitarian intervention and the ceasefire between the forces of Muammar Gaddafi and the rebels in Benghazi.

Mladenov further announced that meetings of NATO and the EU are going to held on Friday and Saturday to decide how exactly the organizations and their member states can take part in the enforcement of the UN resolution.

"Bulgaria is going to take part in all actions mandated not just by the UN but within NATO and the EU. This means providing humanitarian aid and helping with the additional evacuation of people wishing to leave Libya," Bulgaria's top diplomat explained.

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