NATO moved one step closer on Thursday to assuming command of the military campaign in Libya after its 28 members allowed the alliance to take over control of the no-fly zone. However, NATO will not enforce other military operations there.

The decision comes after six days of negotiations.

The Associated Press reported: "The agreement, announced in Brussels by the alliance's secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, will allow the United States to hand over command and control of part of the international operation, as it has been eager to do. But it appeared that some NATO members balked at supervising attacks on targets on the ground."

"At this moment there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation," Fogh Rasmussen said. "But we are considering whether NATO should take on that broader responsibility in accordance with the U.N. Security Council resolution, but that decision has not been made yet."

Fogh Rasmussen told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday that NATO would assume control of the no-fly zone "in a couple of days."

"NATO has now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya. We're taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect civilians from attacks of Gaddafi," he said.

There had been some concern and confusion previously over who would lead the military operation.

While some obstacles remain before NATO assumes full control, The New York Times reported, "American officials expressed confidence Thursday that Washington would soon be able to hand over its command of the military side of the mission to NATO within days.

Political leadership of the mission would still be controlled by key NATO members involved in the campaign, along with representatives of the Arab League and African Union, as demanded by France, which did not want to turn over the direction of the campaign to the American-dominated NATO alliance."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday's move "the next step" in the international action against Libya and the country's dictator, Col. Moammar Gaddafi. 

"This operation has already saved many lives, but the danger is far from over," she said.