Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has urged United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ensure strict adherence to the U.N. Security Council resolution on a no-fly zone in Libya.
Libya topped the agenda of the meeting on Friday between Mr. Medvedev and the U.N. chief, who is on a three-day.
“We have discussed in detail… the need to strictly observe the mandates adopted by the U.N., especially in situations involving the use of force, and to ensure a more accurate phrasing of these mandates,” Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after the meeting, which he also attended.
For his part, Mr. Ban asked Mr. Medvedev to support him for a second term in the top U.N. post.
“I'd like to really count on your strong support, leadership and guidance in continuing my work as Secretary-General,” said Mr. Ban at the start of the meeting at the Russian President's residence outside Moscow.
Russia, which abstained on the no-fly zone resolution, has since repeatedly slammed the United States and its NATO partners for overstepping the U.N. mandate and getting involved in civil conflict in Libya. Speaking after a summit with the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa in China last week, Mr. Medvedev said a loose interpretation of U.N. resolutions was a “very dangerous tendency in international relations”.
Some reports said Mr. Ban had come to Moscow to check out its reaction to a possible military escalation in Libya involving an operation on the ground.
Meanwhile, Mr. Medvedev renewed his offer to mediate in the conflict in Libya during a telephone call from Greece's Prime Minister Georgios A. Papandreou.
“Both sides reiterated their willingness to extend, if need be, mediator help to resolve the situation in Libya,” said the Kremlin press service.
Earlier this month, Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi sent his envoy to Athens to discuss with Mr. Papandreou Greece's possible mediation in the conflict.
