Russia opposes military intervention in Libya
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Xinhua, March 23, 2011
Russia had opposed the Western-led military action against Libya since it started, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Wednesday as lawmakers prepared to call for an end to the operation.
In a meeting in the State Duma, or lower house of the Russian parliament, Gatilov said "we distanced ourselves from a military intervention with unpredictable consequences."
He also said there was currently no information about a possible ground operation led by foreign countries in Libya.
The State Duma is expected to adopt a statement calling on Western countries to stop military operations in Libya to avoid possible deaths among civilians.
Russia had urged the UN Security Council not to pass the resolution sanctioning international intervention "in haste," in order to allow relevant parties "to resolve the problem within political mechanisms," Gatilov said.
"But a force-using scenario unfortunately prevailed," he said, referring to UN Resolution 1973, which was passed by the Security Council 10-0 last Thursday, with Russia and four other countries abstaining.
The minister said Russia abstained on the grounds that civilians must be definitely protected and violence must be stopped in Libya.
Russia's decision not to use the right of veto was carefully weighed and made knowingly, Gatilov said.
Resolution 1973 authorizes the use of force and the creation of a no-fly zone in Libya, where protestors and the government have clashed for several weeks.
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