SA, Russia mull peaceful solution to Libyan crisis

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Sochi - President Jacob Zuma and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday exchanged views on a possible peaceful solution to the Libyan crisis.

Zuma, also the spokesman for the African Union (AU) High Level Ad Hoc Committee on Libya, said he wanted to share the AU's thinking and plans on Libya with Russia and NATO.

The President expressed concerns over the NATO operation in Libya, saying he could share "the AU's view about what the international community could do, and also NATO in particular."

Prior to their brief meeting at Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi, Medvedev said he would like to discuss with Zuma the "peaceful settlement" to the Libyan conflict.

He also said he would like NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and other NATO delegates to "hear both from me and from you (Zuma) ... our opinion about what is happening in Libya and how peace could be achieved."

Medvedev met with Zuma before they held trilateral talks with Rasmussen.

According to Russian press reports, Zuma presented the AU's peace plan for Libya at the trilateral meeting, and a NATO official has said the alliance would study the plan.

Moscow has been critical of the NATO-led military operations in Libya, saying it would only support the peacemaking efforts of the AU and UN.