Lavrov calls for world to end unilateral sanctions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took a veiled jibe at the United States, calling for the world to end "unilaterally" imposed sanctions and non-diplomatic means of international relations.

Speaking at a conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, Lavrov also said it was a "pity" that the Libya talks between various stakeholders failed as rebel leader Khalifa Hifter refused to sign a ceasefire document.

Russia and Turkey proposed a ceasefire last week in hopes of bringing an end to the north African country's long-running civil war.

Fayez Sarraj, the head of Libya's UN-recognised government in Tripoli, and his rival Hifter came to Moscow on Monday for talks with Russian and Turkish diplomats and military officials.

The talks lasted about seven hours, and Sarraj and Hifter did not meet directly.