The EU's unwillingness to present its ideas on monitoring the implementation of the arms embargo in Libya to the UN Security Council raises questions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said today during a round table with representatives of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund, which was held as a video conference.
"The fact that the EU evades in every possible way to present its ideas [on monitoring compliance with the arms embargo in Libya] to the UN Security Council raises questions about the reasons for this position. I hope that these reasons will be revealed in the near future, " TASS quoted the Russian Foreign Minister as saying.
On April 1, the EU launched Irini operation to monitor compliance with the arms embargo on Libya. The operation, Brussels said, will allow inspections of vessels suspected of transporting weapons or related materials to and from the Arab country on the high seas off the coast of Libya.
Lavrov also spoke about the Berlin conference on the Libyan settlement that took place in January.
According to the Minister, the decisions taken at the conference aimed at launching the political process are stalling.
Russia supported the decisions agreed by the participants to be approved by the parties in the future.
"Unfortunately, we did not receive a direct answer to this question during the Berlin discussions (whether the parties will support the decision - ed.). That is why we expressed support for the ideas that were formulated in Berlin, but we said that we need to convince the parties to agree to these approaches. We were right again," the Russian Foreign Minister said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry