PALERMO /Italy/, November 13. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has accused NATO countries of cynically deceiving other members of the United Nations Security Council before launching a military operation against Libya.

"How would we regard it now? Not only as a serious mistake but, first and foremost, as a cynical deception on the part of those who claim to be the world’s moral and political leaders," he said at an international conference on Libya being held in Italy’s Palermo. "The cynical deception occurred at the United Nations Security Council’s round table. Its decisions were distorted and violated, while the so-called temporary military coalition usurped the powers of the United Nations," Medvedev added.

He also pointed to the sanctions the UN Security Council had imposed on Libya, including a ban on arms supplies and the establishment of a no-fly zone over the country. According to the Russian prime minister, these moves were supposed to help put an end to violence in Libya and create conditions for finding a political solution. At the same time, in Medvedev’s words, Russia insisted and still continues to insist that Libyan political forces resolve the country’s domestic affairs through dialogue. However, NATO countries launched a military operation against a sovereign state, carrying out air strikes on Libya in breach of the UN Security Council Resolution, instead of advancing political talks.

The Russian prime minister stressed that Moscow "did not vote for such a scenario." "It’s not about the harm to the reputation that our country suffered, because it is Libya that had to face a horrible tragedy, the consequences of which we will continue to tackle in the decades to come," Medvedev noted.

He expressed support for the efforts of United Nations Special Envoy Ghassan Salame, aimed at the implementation of the Action Plan for Libya, and welcomed "the role of Libya’s foreign partners, who seek to facilitate steps to resolve the situation in the country." "It is important to create conditions for the establishment of a democratic, united and sovereign Libya that will positively influence the region’s development, ensuring stability and boosting cooperation in the Mediterranean region and North Africa," the Russian prime minister concluded.