UN starts talks to lift Libya no-fly zone

UNITED NATIONS — Russia is proposing that the U.N. Security Council lift the no-fly zone it imposed on Libya and end its authorization of military action to protect civilians now that Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has been killed.

Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters after closed council consultations Friday evening that he had circulated a draft resolution on the matter among the group’s 15 members.

The French and British ambassadors to the United Nations say that more consultation with Libyan authorities is needed to smoothly end the no-fly zone and transfer traffic control to civilian authorities.

Nevertheless, they say council members generally seem to agree that the need for the operation has ended.