Russia's leadership has offered to mediate Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's departure from power during the G-8 summit in Deauville, France, in a marked shift from its previous policies.

While being opposed earlier to the Western, NATO-led intervention through air strikes in Libya, where dictator Gaddafi is fighting a popular uprising, Russia's leaders have now declared that Gaddafi must go.

"We think that Qaddafi has stripped himself of his legitimacy and it is necessary to help him leave. If a respectful approach pursued by Russia in the dialog with the Libyan government helps make this decision, it will become our serious contribution to the settlement of the extremely explosive situation in this country and the region as a while," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said at a news conference Friday, as cited by The New York Times, which points out that the announced shift has occurred after "intensive talks" between US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

During their meeting, the two presidents agreed that Russia would use its contacts to try to end the conflict, with Gaddafi's departure as a necessary condition, a senior US administration official is quoted as saying.

The Group of Eight adopted a statement Friday saying that Gaddafi and his government "have failed to fulfill their responsibility to protect the Libyan population and have lost all legitimacy."

"He has no future in a free, democratic Libya," the statement reads. "He must go."

"If you saw the [summit's final] declaration, it is written there that the regime of Gaddafi has lost its legitimacy and he must leave," Russian President Medvedev said at a press conference on the summit's results, as cited by RIA Novosti, adding, "This was decided unanimously."

Medvedev added that Russia wants Libya to remain a free and independent state.

Medvedev said he expects Russian senator and special envoy to Africa Mikhail Margelov, who heads the foreign relations committee of the Russian parliament's upper house, to meet both with the Libyan opposition and authorities during his visit to the country.

Medvedev said Russia will not grant asylum to Gaddafi adding that the international community no longer considers him as the Libyan leader.

Earlier, NATO denied reports that it had received a letter from Gaddafi's regime seeking a ceasefire.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!