UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Tuesday said it regrets the deaths of people in the mass protests in Libya, and called on the Libyan authorities to take its responsibility to protect the Libyan people.

Brazilian UN Ambassador Maria Luiza Riberto Viotti, who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for February, made the remarks when she was reading a statement to the press here at the end of closed-door consultations among the 15 Council members.

"The members of the Security Council expressed grave concern at the situation in Libya," the statement said. "They condemned the violence and use of force against civilians, deplored the repression against peaceful demonstrators and expressed deep regret at the death of hundreds of civilians."

"They called for an immediate end to the violence and for steps to address the legitimate demands of the population, including through national dialogue," the statement said. "The members of the Security Council called on the government of Libya to meet its responsibility to protect its population."

The members of the Security Council "called upon the Libyan authorities to act with restraint, to respect human rights and international humanitarian law and to allow immediate access for international human rights monitors and humanitarian agencies," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council welcomed the statement issued by the League of Arab states on February 22, 2011," the statement said.

Protesters began to take to the streets in Libya last Wednesday, calling for an end to Muammar Gaddafi's 41-year-old rule, in an apparent attempt to emulate recent protests in neighboring Tunisia and Egypt, which forced the leaders of both countries to quit.

A total of 300 people, including 111 soldiers and 189 civilians, have been killed in the disturbances which rocked Libya over the past week, Libyan state TV on Tuesday quoted the Libyan committee for national security as saying.

"The members of the Security Council called for international humanitarian assistance to the people of Libya and expressed concern at the reports of shortages of medical supplies to treat the wounded," the statement said. "They strongly urged the Libyan authorities to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian and medical supplies and humanitarian workers into the country."

"The members of the Security Council stress the importance of accountability. They underscored the need to hold account those responsible for attacks, including by forces under their control on civilians," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the safety of foreign nationals in Libya," the statement said. "They urged Libyan authorities and all relevant parties to ensure the safety of all foreign nationals and facilitate the departure of those wishing to leave the country."

The Security Council held closed-door consultations at the request of Ibrahim Dabbashi, the deputy Libyan permanent representative to the United Nations, who on Monday announced his decision to break ranks with the Tripoli regime.

Also on Tuesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay issued a statement in Geneva, calling for an end to violence in Libya and urging an independent international investigation into the alleged human rights violations in the North Africa country.