Europe tries to reassure Russia over Libya arms embargo mission

Europe tried to reassure Russia during a UN Security Conference video call Tuesday after a French warship intercepted an oil tanker off the coast of Libya under an operation to halt the flow of arms to the North African country.

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European Union representatives spent the closed-door meeting -- which Russia requested -- explaining the EU's naval mission to enforce an arms embargo on Libya, which began April 1, according to diplomats who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The bloc reiterated the "commitment of European states to respect (arms and oil) embargoes" "within the strict rules of Security Council resolutions," one diplomat said.

Libyan militia commander General Khalifa Hifter meets with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. AP

According to another diplomat, Russia is one of the only Security Council members that has raised concerns about renewing authorization for the Operation Irini high seas inspection mission when it expires on June 10.

A vote on the Berlin-penned reauthorization text is scheduled for June 9.

Moscow denies claims it is providing arms and mercenary troops to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar.

The Russian mission stressed the need for Irini to be in compliance with the resolution authorizing it, calling for any renewal to be "unbiased" and to "prevent any imbalances."

"We will thoroughly study how the operation evolves and see if its modalities are subject to a new Security Council mandate," they said.

Central security support force stands alert during the security deployment in Tripoli, Libya. Reuters

"Irini is covered by the existing resolution and we are looking at a rollover," German UN Ambassador Christoph Heusgen said of what he called a "very important" part of keeping arms out of Libya.

"We believe this new operation is just a successor of the previous one," said French UN Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, comparing Irini to the EU refugee naval mission Sophia.

"It operates under the exact same mandate," he said.

Diplomats said the interception of an oil tanker by the French ship off the coast of Tobruk 10 days ago was a major topic of conversation during Tuesday's session.

Agence France-Presse