Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Libya: Russia increases the pressure on Gaddafi

As NATO continues its raids on Tripoli, Russia asked the emissaries of Muammar Gaddafi, who is visiting Moscow to stop "spilling blood" of the Libyan population. Through the voice of his chief diplomat, Sergei Lavrov, Russia called on the Libyan regime to "fully implement Security Council resolution." Russia also relayed the request made Sunday by the UN special envoy calling Tripoli to "cooperate with the UN to help deliver humanitarian aid throughout the territory of Libya." The head of Russian diplomacy said that "the main now is to agree on the timeframe and conditions of an armistice." Moscow has already said he stood ready to receive representatives of the Libyan rebels "in the near future." Libya's traditional ally, Russia had yet detached from the international coalition opposing military intervention.

Permanent member of UN security, the country had abstained on March 17, from voting on resolution 1973 which allowed the intervention of an international coalition in Libya. These calls for Russia further increase the pressure on the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. On Monday, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked judges to issue an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity against Moammar Gadhafi, his son Saif al-Islam and the intelligence chief Libyan Abdullah Al-Sanusi.

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