21/7 Tass 275
MOSCOW, July 21 (Itar-Tass) — Moscow is convinced that force cannot be used in settling the situation in Libya, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.
“Today it has become clearer that the Libyan problem cannot be settled by military means. It is necessary to cease bloodshed as soon as possible and stop the sufferings of the Libyan people – in the west and in the east of the country,” the diplomat said.
“The potential of the U.N. and the African Union can be the better basis. Russia supports these efforts. Our mediation measures are in line of the efforts taken by the U.N. and the African Union,” Lukashevich stressed.
On Wednesday, Libyan Foreign Minister Abdul Ati al-Obeidi visited the Russian Foreign Ministry for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. No details have been reported.
In addition, Lavrov had a telephone conversation with U.N. Special Envoy for Libya Abdel–Elah Al-Khatib to discuss the political settlement of the situation in Libya.
“The U.N. special envoy informed Russia about his activity to work out a formula for the political settlement of the crisis in Libya,” the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
“Sergei Lavrov stressed the need to settle the crisis in Libya by political and diplomatic means and supported the efforts taken by the U.N. special envoy,” the ministry said.
“The minister [Sergei Lavrov] recommended Al-Khatib to coordinate his efforts with other mediators,” the ministry said.