"Today, we can see actions that in a number of cases go beyond the mandate of the UN Security Council," Sergei Lavrov said after talks with NATO foreign ministers in Berlin.

"We believe it is important to urgently transfer things into the political course and proceed with a political and diplomatic settlement," he told a news conference.

"In this context, Russia supports the initiative of the African Union," said the minister, cautioning against the use of "excessive military force that would lead to further additional casualties among civilians."

A bid by the African Union to broker a ceasefire collapsed this week after rebels insisted that Moamer Kadhafi, who accepted the plan, must leave power.

Lavrov said: "We should have an immediate ceasefire and bring the warring parties to the negotiating table so they can agree on the structure of their own country."

UN Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen denied earlier that NATO's air strikes in Libya were beyond the scope of the UN Security Council resolution, which authorised "all necessary measures" to protect Libya's population.

"I have to stress that in the conduct of that operation, we do not go beyond the text or the spirit of UN Security Council Resolution 1973," Rasmussen told a news conference.

"On the contrary, we are implementing the Security Council resolution in strict conformity with both the letter and the spirit of that resolution."

Rasmussen said that "Russia has clearly stated that NATO's operation is legitimate."

Speaking Thursday after a meeting with the leaders of Brazil, India, China and South Africa, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the UN resolution had not authorised the use of military force.

"The Security Council resolutions should be implemented," Medvedev told reporters. "They should be implemented in accordance with their letter and spirit."

"What have we got as a result (of voting on Libya at the Council)? As a result, we essentially have got a military operation. The resolution says nothing about it."

Russia, a permanent veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, abstained when the world body voted for the resolution on March 17.

earlier related report
EU consults with NATO on Libya aid mission
Berlin (AFP) April 15, 2011 - The European Union and NATO strengthened their coordination Friday for a potential EU military mission to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to Libya's shell-shocked city of Misrata.

One day after attending an Arab League meeting on Libya in Cairo, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton met NATO foreign ministers in Berlin to discuss ties between the two organisations and the situation in Libya.

"We also remain seriously concerned about the humanitarian situation in Libya and stand ready, if requested by the UN, to send an EU mission to support humanitarian efforts," Ashton said.

"Pending the request, the planning is at an advanced stage. And in this context we are coordinating with others, including NATO," she said in a statement after the talks.

The discussions came after the EU overcame Swedish objections to a potential military-humanitarian mission as the bloc approved the first phase of planning for such an operation, a European diplomat said.

The EU and NATO agreed to hold an informal meeting at the level of ambassadors to discuss Libya in the coming weeks, to "avoid a doubling up (of operations) and adjust their activities," a German diplomat said.

The two organisations have exchanged their operational plans for Libya in case the United Nations asks the EU to send a mission to Libya, a NATO official said.

The EU has yet to make any final decision on a mission to Libya, which would likely include the deployment of ships. Any mission would need the green light from the UN.

But Ashton told UN chief Ban Ki-moon last week that the bloc was ready to use military means to bring urgent aid to Misrata, a rebel-held city besieged by Moamer Kadhafi's forces for nearly two months.

Any mission would have to be coordinated with NATO since the 28-nation military alliance has deployed several warships and jets in the Mediterranean to enforce an arms embargo and a no-fly zone on Libya.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this week that the EU should lead any humanitarian mission, not the alliance.

"It is also a bit of a controversial question to have a military organisation to take part in the delivery of humanitarian assistance," Rasmussen said on Monday.

The Libya foreign ministry warned Monday that "any attempt to approach Libyan territory under the cover of a humanitarian mission will be met with staunch armed resistance."

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