Moscow wants to analyze complaints made by the Libyan opposition about the ineffectiveness of a NATO-led mission to protect civilians in the war-torn country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.
The Libyan opposition said on Tuesday that alliance has been slow to launch airstrikes against government troops and said it is considering complaining to the UN Security Council.
"Moscow wants to understand what is behind these calls and find out what the countries which have taken responsibility for the implementation of the UN Security Council's resolution think about them," Lavrov told a news conference following a meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni.
Russia abstained from a UN Security Council resolution enforcing the military intervention in Libya but has since been critical of the operation. Lavrov said Moscow was concerned that the rebels' complaints would lead the alliance to breach the resolution.
"If the rebels want those who are enforcing the no-fly regime to defend civilians, which is in line with the UN Security Council's resolution, that is one thing," Lavrov said.
"But it is an absolutely different matter if they are calling on NATO to arm rebels. Such a move would constitute an interference in the civil war, and this is not sanctioned by the security council."
MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti)
