Tripoli, 31/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - In an interview published by the German weekly Focus on Monday, Libyan President Colonel Gaddafi answered questions on decisions from European institutions not to invite him, for now, to Brussels. Are you annoyed with Europeans? Focus asks him. Mr Gaddafi replies: "Why should I be annoyed?" But he then added: "I do not understand the Commission's recent decision. We have not had bad relations with Europe or its people. Even at the time of the most severe sanctions, the embassies of all the countries were represented in our country". And the United Kingdom? To this question, Colonel Gaddafi replied: "Let's see, British firms and banks have nonetheless worked in our country. We were therefore never really been cut off from Europe. And we again have relations that are quite normal with the government in London". Regarding a possible invitation to Brussels, he said: "I do not think that this will work in the near future (…) but dialogue must in any case continue".
Romano Prodi, in an interview published in the same edition of Focus, declared for his part that: "an invitation would only be significant if we thus obtain a true breakthrough in our relations. We have not yet reached this point. I have not spoken of an invitation to Gaddafi for starting up the fireworks. What I am interested in is peace in the Mediterranean".