Moscow: Russia and its partners in the BRICS group of emerging economies, including India and China are determined to avert a Libya-style scenario for Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday, as it asked the opposition and the Syrian regime to initiate dialogue.

"We are proposing that the UN Security Council firmly demands that all parties to the conflict respect human rights and begin talks," Lavrov said.

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"If it`s up to the BRICS, the Libyan scenario won`t be repeated," Lavrov was quoted as saying by Voice of Russia radio. Speaking at a joint news conference here after his talks with the visiting Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota , Lavrov said the BRICS nation believe the UN Security Council must condemn violence in that Arab country and urge the conflicting sides there to respect human rights and start a dialogue. BRICS is an economic grouping and comprises of South Africa, Brazil, India, China and Russia.

In a veiled attack on the West, which has adopted anti-Assad stance Lavrov said: "We cannot incite the Syrian opposition to ignore dialogue." He also said the Syrian President Bashar Assad must be given time to draft a new constitution and implement promised pro-democracy reforms.

The reported deaths in the Syrian conflict are at about 2,000, including some 500 police and security personnel.

PTI