Italy to make bases available for Libya no-fly zone - source

TUNIS (Reuters) - Italy is ready to make its military bases available to enforce a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing a no-fly zone on Libya, an Italian government source told Reuters Thursday.

The airbase at Sigonella in Sicily, which provides logistical support for the United States Sixth Fleet, is one of the closest NATO bases to Libya and could be used in any military operation.

"It's a positive development," an Italian government source told Reuters minutes after the U.N. Security Council voted in favour of the no-fly zone.

Asked whether Italy would offer its bases for the enforcement of the U.N. resolution, the source said: "Yes, we've said we are ready to do that."

(Reporting by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)