U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Russia's Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov shake hands after their meeting in Moscow March 22, 2011. Photo : REUTERS/Charles Dharapak/Pool
RUSSIA, March 22, 2011 (KATAKAMI.COM) — Russian Defense Dinister has called for immediate ceasefire in Libya as US-led military coalition forces escalates their aerial and sea attacks on the north African country, Iranian Television PRESS TV Channel reported on Tuesday.
“Russia wants to see an immediate ceasefire in Libya and the start of political negotiations,” Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov told visiting US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Tuesday.
“We are convinced that the shortest path to the safety of peaceful civilians is through an immediate ceasefire and the start of dialogue,” Serdyukov added.
The call comes after Russia’s prime minister denounced a UN Security Council resolution authorizing a military offensive against Libya.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the resolution is defective and flawed, and resembles “the medieval calls for crusades.”
The Russian premier also accused the US of acting without conscience or logic.
Russia abstained from last week’s vote in the UN Security Council authorizing a no-fly zone over Libya.
US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen has acknowledged that the US-led military invasion of Libya could lead to a deadlock in the country.
The top military commander said told CBS news on Sunday that the end-game of military action in Libya was “very uncertain.”
Dozens of civilians have been killed in Libya since the US, Britain, France and some other Western countries launched their attacks on the North African country.
Experts say the main motive behind the Western allies’ attack is the vast oil reserves in the North African country.
This is the biggest Western military intervention in the Arab world since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. (*)
