News for Russia requested to mediate in Libya crisis

Turmoil in the Arab world and aid for Africa took central stage as leaders of the world's richest countries wrap up their talks on Friday, with Russia saying it had been requested to mediate in the Libya crisis.

"Requests have been voiced that Russia take upon itself the role of a mediator in settling the situation in Libya," Natalia Timakova, spokeswoman for Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, told reporters.

Timakova said that the requests were made during bilateral meetings between Medvedev and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron on the sidelines of the summit among leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries, which started Thursday in the French seaside resort of Deauville.

Separately, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow was asked by the government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to mediate a ceasefire when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone with Gaddafi's Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi earlier Thursday.

"Tripoli's representative came forward with a request to help achieve agreements on a ceasefire and the start of talks without pre-conditions," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russia has been critical of NATO-led military operations in Libya, saying airstrikes go beyond the UN Security Council resolution which mandated a no-fly zone over the North African country.

Konstantin Dolgov, Russian Foreign Ministry's envoy on human rights, democracy and supremacy of law, said on Wednesday that Russia is still convinced that the situation in Libya can only be normalized by immediately halting all military action and starting political settlement processes.

However, western officials said Moscow had not been formally requested to play a mediating role in the Libya crisis.

Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that the military actions would continue until Gaddafi steps down.

"On Libya, where we have the same analysis, Mr. Gaddafi must leave," Sarkozy told reporters at a joint press conference with Obama before heading into an outreach session with leaders from Egypt and Tunisia.

Obama said the mission cannot be accomplished when Gaddafi remains in Libya and directs his forces.

Posted in: Russia requested to mediate in Libya crisis