Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia was ready to conduct dialog with all political forces in Libya that have a future, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.
Late on Tuesday, Medvedev held a phone conversation with his South African counterpart, Jacob Zuma, who met with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Monday.
During the conversation, the Russian president "stressed the necessity and readiness to conduct dialog with all forces in Libya that have political futures," the Kremlin said.
The two heads of state expressed hope that coordination of mediation efforts by Russia, South Africa and the African Union will contribute to the swift return of the Libyan state to the path of peaceful and stable development.
When leaving Tripoli on Monday, Zuma said the Libyan leader was still ready for ceasefire and negotiations proposed by the African Union last month and rejected by the rebel government.
A revolt that began in mid-February against Muammar Gaddafi's 40-year rule in Libya has already claimed thousands of lives, with Gaddafi's troops maintaining their combat capabilities despite NATO airstrikes against them.
Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said on Tuesday a total of 718 civilians have been killed since NATO airstrikes on the country began on March 19. More than 4,000 have been injured, 433 of them are still in critical condition.
NATO denied civilian casualty reports by the Libyan government, saying its airstrikes are targeted only against military infrastructure and equipment.
MOSCOW, June 1 (RIA Novosti)
