Russian foreign minister says Western intervention in Libya could boost terrorism

[News_Editor]

Russian foreign minister says Western intervention in Libya could boost terrorism

2011-03-22 23:19:55 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOSCOW (BNO NEWS) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that the Western-led military intervention in Libya may lead to escalation of international terrorism, RIA Novosti reported.

"If the situation gets out of hand, then we will have to deal with new manifestations of international terrorism, and many other developments, which we would like to avoid," Lavrov told a news conference following talks with his Algerian counterpart Mourad Medelci.

The comment comes after the conflict in Libya caused a rift between Russia's two leaders. President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he did not consider the resolution wrong, just hours after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin likened it to both the U.S. invasion of Iraq and a "Medieval call for a crusade."

The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 was approved on Thursday and called for the establishment of a no-fly zone in Libya and for military forces to take "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians from government-led attacks. Russia was one of five countries that abstained from the resolution.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised in Moscow on Tuesday the Russian leadership for deciding to abstain rather than vote against the UN resolution. He also said the military fighting going on in Libya now "should recede in the next few days," according to RIA Novosti.

Moscow on Sunday said the air strikes exceed the mandate of the UN resolution, and called on western nations taking part in military operations to stop the 'indiscriminate use of force', saying the attacks have killed civilians.

Operation Odyssey Dawn entered its third night of airstrikes on Libyan air defenses on Monday. Libyan state television reported that at least 60 civilians have been killed and over 150 wounded.

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