Russian, Libyan FMs to discuss situation in Syria and Egypt

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Libya, Sergei Lavrov and Mohamed Abdelaziz, are to hold talks here on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Syria and Egypt, as well as the state of things concerning the Russian citizens detained in Libya, Alexander Shadrov and Vladimir Dolgov. A Russian Foreign Ministry official said, "The stay of Mohamed Abdelaziz in Moscow will make it possible to hold an in-depth exchange of views on topical international and regional problems, including the evolution of the situation in Syria and around it, the situation in Egypt and Tunisia, as well as on other matters of mutual interest". "Sergei Lavrov will discuss with his Libyan counterpart the question of the need to release the Russian citizens Alexander Shadrov and Vladimir Dolgov detained in Libya," the Ministry official pointed out. In June 2012, the Supreme Military Court of Libya adjudged a group of Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian citizens guilty of complcity with the Gaddafi regime. Alexander Shadrov, who is adjudicated as the organizer of the group, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Vladimir Dolgov, as well as three citizens of Belarus and 19 Ukrainians were sentenced to ten years in prison. "Officials of the competent Libyan agencies have expressed readiness to promote a settlement of this humanitarian issue in the spirit of traditionally friendly relations existing between Russia and Libya in line with the procedure provided for by the Libyan legislation," the RF Foreign Ministry stated earlier. "Individual attention is to be devoted at the talks to the internal political processes in present-day Libya, and to the efforts being made by the Libyan leadership to establish peaceful life, and bring into being capable bodies of power, army and law and order forces," the Ministry official pointed out. "Russia firmly supports the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of friendly Libya. Moscow is sincerely interested in securing that the Libyans overcome the difficulties and problems of the transitional period as soon as possible and achieve stability and prosperity. This, undoubtedly, will have a positive effect on the situation in the region as a whole, and ensure favorable conditions for restoration and further development of Russia-Libya mutually beneficial cooperation," the RF Ministry official emphasized. The two Ministers "will consider in detail the tasks of a further advancement of the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including those in trade-and-economic field, energy and investment spheres," the Ministry official said. Russia’s Foreign Ministry analysts believe that "There are all the necessary prerequisites for stepping up interaction between our two countries, primarily in the fuel-and-energy field". "In 2012, Russian-Libyan trade turnover reached a record-high mark over the past 12 years to amount to $250 million," the Ministry official recalled.