The Russian parliament on Friday refused to adopt a statement on Libya and express condolences over the death of Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi was killed on Thursday near his hometown of Sirte.
The move to include a Libya statement on the State Duma’s agenda was made by three party factions - A Just Russia, the Communist Party and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), but not the ruling United Russia party, which holds an overwhelming majority in the lower house.
“I propose discussing a statement with the expression of condolences to the people of Libya,” communist Boris Kashin said.
LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky backed the move, saying it was “a barbarous act” when a state leader is killed by “a mob” in such “a bandit-like style.”
Gaddafi did not abdicate power only because he wanted to prevent a civil war in Libya, Zhirinovsky said.
“The West supports dictator Pinochet and gangsters in Kosovo but observed with gleeful pleasure the mob tearing Libyan leader Gaddafi to pieces,” he said.
“We must react.”
The house voted 153-98 to reject the item.
Shortly after Gaddafi’s death was announced, Zhirinovsky said he did not believe it, hailing the Libyan leader as “an African Karl Marx, a Libyan [Giuseppe] Garibaldi.”
Gaddafi’s death also upset the president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, who had met with the Libyan leader during the 8-month-long standoff between Gaddafi supporters and rebels.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez paid tribute to Gaddafi, describing him as a “martyr.”
