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Gaddafi begins first Italy visit | Gaddafi begins first Italy visit |
(about 3 hours 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. |
Despite improved relations between the two states, Col Gaddafi landed wearing a photo of a Libyan who was executed by Italian colonial authorities. | Despite improved relations between the two states, Col Gaddafi landed wearing a photo of a Libyan who was executed by Italian colonial authorities. |
He will meet top officials and stay in a tent he uses for foreign trips. | He will meet top officials and stay in a tent he uses for foreign trips. |
Talks are expected on investment between the two countries and the issue of illegal immigration. | Talks are expected on investment between the two countries and the issue of illegal immigration. |
Muammar Gaddafi wore a carefully selected photo on arrival in RomeEnlarge Image | Muammar Gaddafi wore a carefully selected photo on arrival in RomeEnlarge Image |
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. | 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. |
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. | 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. | "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. |
Love-hate relationship | Love-hate relationship |
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. |
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 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, and told guests he wanted to "save European women". |
A tent has been erected on the grounds of Villa Pamphili in Rome | A tent has been erected on the grounds of Villa Pamphili in Rome |
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 Rana Jawad in Tripoli 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, 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, our correspondent 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 recent 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. Col Gaddafi is accompanied in Italy by a delegation of Libyan businessmen looking to boost their investments in Italian industry. | Business deals have surged and expelled settlers are now allowed to visit. Col Gaddafi is accompanied in Italy by a delegation of Libyan businessmen looking to boost their investments in Italian industry. |
Last year Rome agreed to pay Libya $5bn (£3bn) in reparations for colonial policies. | Last year Rome agreed to pay Libya $5bn (£3bn) in reparations for colonial policies. |
"I praise this generation of Italians for having resolved the issues of the past with great courage," Col Gaddafi said on arrival on Wednesday. | "I praise this generation of Italians for having resolved the issues of the past with great courage," Col Gaddafi said on arrival on Wednesday. |
However he had attached to the lapel of his military uniform a picture of national hero Omar al-Mukhtar - who was executed by Italian colonial authorities - chained by his captors. | However he had attached to the lapel of his military uniform a picture of national hero Omar al-Mukhtar - who was executed by Italian colonial authorities - chained by his captors. |
Col Gaddafi travelled to Rome with Omar al-Mukhtar's elderly son, Mohammed Omar al-Mukhtar, who had to be helped off the plane by security guards. | Col Gaddafi travelled to Rome with Omar al-Mukhtar's elderly son, Mohammed Omar al-Mukhtar, who had to be helped off the plane by security guards. |