EU must play greater Mideast role says Gaddafi

28 April 2004

BRUSSELS – Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi on Wednesday called on EU governments to play a more active role in the Middle East peace process.

Speaking on the second day of a historic two-day trip to Belgium, Gaddafi told the Belgian parliament that Europe must not allow itself to be marginalised in the Middle East.

“I want to hear Europe’s voice about the current tragedy in Iraq,” he said speaking through interpreters.

“Europe should ask questions of other people about the reasons for this occupation … otherwise we are heading towards the law of the jungle,” he continued, adding, “Europe has to regain its confidence and get rid of its complexes … it must wake up before it is too late.”

On the question of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Gaddafi rejected the solution for the creation of two states set out in the increasingly discredited road map for peace sponsored in particular by Washington.

“There cannot be two states,” he said.

“In my opinion the solution is to build a democratic state for everyone.”

Gaddafi also sought to explain why people sometimes seek to achieve their aims through terrorism and he did not flinch from recognising that he had in the past supported groups who used terror.

“Terrorism is the result of the imbalance in the world at the moment,” he said.

“The terrorist is forced to defend himself to win back rights by brutal means, terrorist means, because there are no other means,” he added.

Gadaffi returned to the theme of terrorism in an interview with French radio recorded during his visit Belgium.

When asked about Libya’s past support for organisations generally regarded as terrorist groups he made it clear he had no qualms about his own country’s actions.

“We were in a phase of fighting for emancipation, liberation…. We were accused of being terrorists, but that is the price we had to pay. If that is terrorism, then we are proud to be terrorists because we helped the liberation of the (African) continent”, he said.

“I absolutely do not regret the past”, he added..

The Libyan leader’s trip to Belgium is his first journey outside of Africa and the Middle East since 1989.

Subject: Belgian news