OREANDA-NEWS. May 27, 2011. A telephone conversation between Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi of Libya took place at the Libyan side’s initiative.

The representative of Tripoli asked for assistance in reaching an agreement on the cessation of fire and the start of negotiations without preconditions.

Sergey Lavrov reiterated the principled position of Russia on the necessity of strict compliance by all parties with UN Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973, primarily as regards the inadmissibility of any actions capable of causing civilian casualties. The Minister set out to the Libyan Premier the assessments by the Russian leadership of the prospects for a way out of the crisis in Libya in the light of the conversations that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had with the participants of the G8 summit being held in Deauville. He also emphasized that Moscow strongly supports the mediation efforts of the African Union and UN, which was discussed in detail during the recent contacts at the Russian Foreign Ministry with the representatives of Tripoli and Benghazi.

Sergey Lavrov noted that considering the totality of the factors involved, the components are appearing of a possible agreement on the cessation of hostilities and on setting the situation on a political footing, as well as on the start of negotiations to build a new Libya with the participation of the representatives of all political forces and tribes of the country without outside interference. Russia supports a choice in favor of this kind of developments; there are real chances for this. It is now up to the Libyans, including Tripoli, who must show responsibility for the destinies of their state and people.