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Gaddafi begins first Italy visit Gaddafi begins first Italy visit
(20 minutes later)
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has arrived in Rome on his first visit to Italy, Libya's former colonial ruler and now its biggest trading partner.Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has arrived in Rome on his first visit to Italy, Libya's former colonial ruler and now its biggest trading partner.
He is being accompanied by a delegation of Libyan businessmen looking to boost their investments in Italian industry.He is being accompanied by a delegation of Libyan businessmen looking to boost their investments in Italian industry.
Colonel Gaddafi will, as usual, be staying in the tent he takes on foreign trips, and will meet Italy's president and prime minister.Colonel Gaddafi will, as usual, be staying in the tent he takes on foreign trips, and will meet Italy's president and prime minister.
Talks are also expected to focus on the issue of illegal immigration.Talks are also expected to focus on the issue of illegal immigration.
Col Gaddafi - dressed in full military regalia and heading a 200-member entourage - was given a red-carpet welcome by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at Rome's Ciampino airport. Col Gaddafi - dressed in full military regalia and heading a 200-member entourage - was given a red-carpet welcome by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at Rome's Ciampino airport.
A tent has been erected on the grounds of Villa Pamphili in Rome
Security will be tight during the three-day visit, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.Security will be tight during the three-day visit, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome.
Demonstrations are planned by left-wing students who are against Mr Berlusconi's policy - with Libyan help - of intercepting and forcibly repatriating immigrants who try to reach Italy by sea.Demonstrations are planned by left-wing students who are against Mr Berlusconi's policy - with Libyan help - of intercepting and forcibly repatriating immigrants who try to reach Italy by sea.
Human Rights Watch said the policy, part of an Italy-Libya Friendship Treaty had seen about 500 migrants towed to Libya without any screening since 6 May.
"It looks less like friendship and more like a dirty deal to enable Italy to dump migrants and asylum seekers on Libya and evade its obligations," the group said in a statement.
Special arrangementsSpecial arrangements
Col Gaddafi is expected to meet his visitors in his Bedouin-style tent which has been set up in the park of a 17th Century Roman villa where he is staying.Col Gaddafi is expected to meet his visitors in his Bedouin-style tent which has been set up in the park of a 17th Century Roman villa where he is staying.
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/europe_enl_1244641418/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/europe_enl_1244641418/html/1.stm', '1244641876', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=470,height=628,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Muammar Gaddafi wore a carefully selected photo on arrival in Rome href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/europe_enl_1244641418/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/europe_enl_1244641418/html/1.stm', '1244641876', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=470,height=628,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Image He is also due to address a group of 700 Italian women from the fields of business, politics and culture.
He is also due to address a group of 700 women at Rome's concert hall, having requested a meeting with prominent Italian women from the fields of business, politics and culture. He held a similar meeting on a visit to Paris in 2007, and told guests he wanted to "save European women".
He held a similar meeting on a visit to Paris in 2007 with 1,000 selected women guests, who were told he wanted to "save European women."
Col Gaddafi, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, will return to Rome next month as a delegate to the Group of Eight (G8) summit.Col Gaddafi, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, will return to Rome next month as a delegate to the Group of Eight (G8) summit.
But this is his first visit to Italy since he took power in a coup in 1969, following Italy's 30-year occupation of Libya.But this is his first visit to Italy since he took power in a coup in 1969, following Italy's 30-year occupation of Libya.
The BBC's correspondent in Tripoli, Rana Jawad, says the two countries have had a love-hate relationship. The BBC's Rana Jawad in Tripoli says the two countries have had a love-hate relationship.
Since independence the Italian language has been effectively banned in Libya, she says, while Italian settlers were expelled soon after Col Gaddafi took power and barred from ever returning. Since independence the Italian language has been effectively banned in Libya, while Italian settlers were expelled soon after Col Gaddafi took power and barred from ever returning.
Italy's brutal occupation of Libya, when tens of thousands of Libyans were forcibly moved to concentration camps, was not easily forgotten, she says. Italy's brutal occupation of Libya, when tens of thousands of Libyans were forcibly moved to concentration camps, was not easily forgotten, our correspondent says.
But in the past few years the relationship has flourished and even turned to friendship. But in recent years the relationship has flourished and even turned to friendship.
Business deals have surged and expelled settlers are now allowed to visit.Business deals have surged and expelled settlers are now allowed to visit.
And last year Rome agreed to pay Libya $5bn (£3bn) in reparations for the misdeeds of colonial times. Last year Rome agreed to pay Libya $5bn (£3bn) in reparations for colonial policies.
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