Moscow: Aware of NATO and its allies planning
to launch a ground military campaign in Libya, Russia has said
that such a plan requires UN Security Council mandate.
"The information shows that both NATO and EU are working
on the similar plans. The EU is developing these plans to
secure humanitarian convoys, though it is being stressed that
it would take place after the UN gave the green light,"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
Talking to a weekly analytical programme `Post Scriptum`
of TVC channel Lavrov said, "If anybody wants to ask for this
mandate, welcome to the UN Security Council. We will discuss,
try to understand what is planned, because the deviation from
the mandate that we are watching now, are enough to learn
lessons".
On March 17, Russia and China had abstained in the voting
on the UN Security Council resolution imposing a no-fly zone
over Libya, which paved the way for the US-led anti-Gaddafi
coalition`s aerial strikes.
The command of the operation was shifted from a US-led
international coalition to NATO in late March.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev defended Moscow
abstention on Libya vote, while Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
qualified the UN Security Council resolution as `flawed` and
said it reminds of the medieval Crusade.
PTI
