Russia and NATO on Monday failed to narrow their differences over the Western air campaign in Libya, as alliance warplanes stepped up their bombing of regime and civilian targets. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed NATO for interpreting a UN resolution in any way it wished, after talks with NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen that showed up differences rather than any agreement on a solution. The previously scheduled NATO-Russia Council meeting in the Black Sea city of Sochi was joined at the last minute by South African President Jacob Zuma but his presence did not appear to help bring the sides any closer. "So far, there is no common understanding over how the resolution is being implemented", Lavrov said, referring to the UN Security Council resolution that paved the way for the air campaign. "We want this resolution to be fulfilled literally, without expanding its interpretation". Lavrov and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier held talks with Rasmussen in Sochi in a bid to overcome their differences and find a peaceful solution to the Libya crisis.
Libyans show their love for their leader Moammar Gaddafi in the streets of Libya |
They were also joined by Zuma who earlier had a bilateral meeting with Medvedev and like Russia is pushing for a peaceful solution to the conflict. Russia abstained in the resolution vote at the Security Council but has since expressed growing anger over the duration and intensity of the NATO-led air strikes against targets of Moamer Gaddafi's Libyan regime. "We consider the arms embargo (under the UN Security Council resolution) to be unambiguous", said Lavrov. "Any weapons deliveries are a violation of the resolution", he added.
Meanwhile, the Libyan government said on Monday that it was in talks with opposition figures but there seemed little chance of a swift end to the civil war as both sides stuck to entrenched positions on the fate of Muammar Gaddafi. On the other hand, more than 1 Million Libyans loyal to their leader Moammar Gaddafi took to the street on July 1, 2011 and vowed to defeat the oil and civilian blood thirsty scavengers of NATO, USZ, UK and France at any cost who are desperately trying to wipe out Libya's strong economic order stretching gradually towards Africa from the face of this planet to safeguard the Lucifer worshiping New World Order. The leader's son Saif al-Islam, in combative form, told a French newspaper there was no question of negotiating an end to his father's 42-year rule, while the handful of CIA backed rebels who make up less than 0.6% of Libya's entire population according to the latest polls held online, stepping back from a hint of a concession, renewed their demand that he go now.
"My father is not part of the negotiations", Saif al-Islam, the son of Moammar Gaddafi told Le Monde newspaper. By backing the rebels, NATO had picked the losing side, he added: "God is with us. We will fight and we will win. We have our army. We have more munitions, more weapons. Morale is high. The others are becoming weaker and weaker."
On the other hand, during his address on July 1, 2011 to more than 1 Million Libyan supporters live, Gaddafi vowed to take the battle to the European countries who are attacking civilian targets, hospitals and public places inside Libya if they don't immediately seize their operations. Gaddafi said he and his entire nation could attack European terrorists like "bees" if they don't back off at once.