Tunis, 05/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - According to Reuters the Libyan President, colonel Kadhafi told Libyan television available in Tunisia: "A few days ago, I received an invitation from the EU to go to its seat in Brussels. I will carry out my visit early in the millennium." Reuters warns that colonel Kadhafi also asserted that it will be "a historic visit for the relations for Africa and the European Union" and mentioning that Europe "is no longer colonialist."
In Brussels, the Commission spokesperson indicated that colonel Kadhafi had telephoned Romano Prodi (Ed; he already knew him when he was Italian Prime Minister) to wish him a happy New Year and, on this occasion, he expressed his desire to be invited to Brussels. The spokesperson specified that such a decision must first be approved by all the Member States and by the Council. He also noted that relations between the European Union and Libya improved since the gesture made by the latter in the Lockerbie affair and that Libya now takes part as observer in the Euro-Mediterranean process in Barcelona.