Russia called on Friday for a UN and African Union peacekeeping force to stem violence in war-torn Libya, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. “We think it important to fully activate political, diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis with the help of the peacekeeping potential of the UN and African Union,” ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying.
Russia abstained from the UN Security Council vote on a March resolution authorising military action to establish a no-fly zone and protect civilians in Libya. But it has since strongly criticised Western military action against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, prompting fears it could use its veto-power to block future endorsements of intervention in Libya and elsewhere.
