Defence Minister Peter MacKay says Libya cannot be used as a blueprint for potential missions to Syria or Iran.

MacKay made the comment Saturday at the Halifax International Security Forum, where delegates have been discussing the latest developments in all three countries.

The minister said there was a "moral obligation" to intervene in Libya, but adds any decision to launch similar missions elsewhere cannot be made lightly.

Lt.-Gen. Charles Bouchard, who led NATO operations in Libya, expressed a similar view, saying no two interventions are the same.

"Each [military] campaign has to be looked at on its own merit," he said.

'I think we abhorred what happened when Col. Gadhafi himself was captured. So let's do this right. Let's hold Gadhafi's son, but to use an American and Canadian construct, he's innocent until proven guilty.'—U.S. Senator Mark Udall

MacKay has said Canada is keeping an eye on the unfolding situation in Syria, where President Bashar Assad continues his bloody crackdown on Syrians demanding democracy, and that any international mission might first need a UN Security Council resolution, similar to one granted for Libya this year.

The UN estimates 3,500 Syrians have been killed since the uprising began in March.

"There's a danger in creating a scenario that says there is 'world police' that are going to start singling out countries and enforcing what those governments — legitimate or not — should be doing," MacKay told security and defence experts meeting in Halifax.

"I am very loath to say that you can take a template and apply it uniformly," he said.

Iran's nuclear program is also under discussion at the three-day forum. Last week, the UN's atomic watchdog agency said Iran was more than likely on the way to acquiring nuclear weapons.

In addition, the capture of Moammar Gadhafi's son, Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, has garnered attention at the high-level security meeting, and there are unofficial talks about what comes next.

Seif al-Islam was captured as he travelled with aides in a convoy in Libya's southern desert early Saturday.

Among the decision makers talking about the situation in Libya at the Halifax Security Forum is U.S. Senator Mark Udall. The Democrat from Colorado is a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and is co-chair of the U.S. congressional delegation at this year's Halifax forum.

"Ideally, of course, any member ot the Gadhafi family should be subject to the rule of law," Udall told CBC News. "I think we abhorred what happened when Col. Gadhafi himself was captured. So let's do this right. Let's hold Gadhafi's son, but to use an American and Canadian construct, he's innocent until proven guilty."

Udall stopped short of recommending that Seif al-Islam be sent to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

"Ideally the Libyans would use their own legal system. But The Hague is always a backstop, and The Hague has the record of doing the right thing, but it's a long, involved process. I think the Libyans want to see justice provided as soon as possible."

With files from The Canadian Press