MOSCOW - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Libyan counterpart Ashour Bin Khayal discussed the future of Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian citizens convicted in Libya at a meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on its Web site on Friday.
“Lavrov brought up the issue of the future of citizens of Russia,
Belarus and Ukraine who were arrested in Libya and were given lengthy
prison terms there. He reiterated a demand to observe these citizens’
rights in accordance with international norms and standards and allow
them to return to their home countries as soon as possible,” the
ministry said.
Addressing the situation in Libya, Lavrov gave a positive assessment
to its recent free parliamentary elections and the transfer of power in
the country to the elected General National Congress.
The Russian side reaffirmed its readiness to help the Libyan
authorities tackle their major tasks, including the country’s return to a
peaceful life and the need to promote democratic processes there.
Lavrov and Bin Khayal stressed their countries’ mutual interest in bolstering bilateral cooperation in different areas.
On August 27, 2011, the Libyan rebel battalion Kakaa detained Russian
citizens Vladimir Dolgov and Alexander Shadrov and some citizens of
Ukraine and Belarus (25 people all in all). The people were charged with
having restored military equipment used by the Gaddafi regime “to
destroy the people of Libya.”
