LIBYA
Gaddafi opposes Mediterranean Union plan
Tuesday 10 June 2008
During a summit of North African and Syrian leaders in Tripoli, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi opposed the creation of a Mediterranean Union as proposed by the French, saying it would harm Arab and African unity efforts.
Tuesday 10 June 2008
By AFPLibyan leader Moamer Kadhafi opposed proposals for a Mediterranean Union at a mini-summit of North African and Syrian leaders on Tuesday, saying it would harm Arab and African unity efforts.
"We are members states of the Arab League and also the African Union and we will not take any chances with damaging Arab or African Unity," Kadhafi said.
"Our European partners need to understand that. We are in favour of partnership projects but they must take account of these red lines," he added.
Kadhafi was the only leader to speek at the opening session of the mini-summit in the Libyan capital Tripoli convened to discuss proposals by French President Nicolas Sarkozy for a Mediterranean bloc modelled on and linked to the European Union.
The Tripoli meeting comes ahead of a broader gathering in Paris scheduled for July 13.
It was attended by Algerian, Mauritanian, Moroccan, Syrian and Tunisian leaders alongside Kadhafi. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak dropped plans to attend the gathering at the 11th hour because of what officials said was a heavy schedule.
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