Brussels, Oct 6 (IANS): NATO is ready to help Libyan authorities to carry out reforms on defence and security if requested, said NATO Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen Wednesday while also indicating few other nations may join the military alliance, Xinhua reported.

Speaking after the first session of defence ministers' meeting, Rasmussen said: "We agreed that NATO should be ready to assist the new Libyan authorities with defence and security sector reforms, if they request our support."

"NATO has long experience of supporting the move from dictatorship to democracy. And if asked, we would be happy to share that experience."

Rasmussen said although defence ministers hailed the Libya mission operation as "a great success," they discussed lessons that the alliance should draw from it.

"The operation also showed we lack certain critical capabilities, especially in Europe," he said.

European allies and Canada took the lead in the mission. They provided most of the assets. But they had to rely on the US to deploy critical enablers to get the job done.
"I'm talking about intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling," he told reporters.

Rasmussen also indicated that more European countries might participate in the alliance's anti-missile shield in Europe following Romania, Poland and Turkey.

"I will not be surprised if we will see further announcements in the coming weeks and months as regards new inputs to a NATO-based missile defense system," he said.

Romania, Poland and Turkey have agreed to host key assets of the anti-missile defense system, which is scheduled to acquire an interim operational capability by May 2012 and a full capability by 2018.