Gaddafi arrives in Khartoum for Arab summit Mar 28-29

Contrary to earlier conflicting news reports saying Saudi, Libya among four to shun Arab summit, AFP now confirms Libyan leader Col Gaddafi has arrived in Khartoum to participate in the two-day annual summit 28-29 March of Arab leaders. As Sudan is hosting the summit, it is expecting to preside over the meeting that will include discussions on Darfur.

According to AFP, he had been expected to skip the summit but was the first leader to land in Khartoum for Tuesday's annual gathering of Arab kings and Presidents:

Dressed in a white suit and flaunting a long bright-yellow scarf, Kadhafi walked the red carpet flanked by his Sudanese host Omar al-Bashir and followed by two of his female bodyguards who sported green scarfs under their military hats.

An Arab League official had told AFP Friday that Kadhafi was not participating in 18th Arab summit.

Photo: Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (L) is welcomed by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir upon his arrival in Khartoum. Kadhafi arrived in the Sudanese capital to participate in the two-day annual summit of Arab leaders. (AFP/Suna/Yahoo)

What Sudan expects Arab Summit to do for Sudan and the Arabs

Excerpt from Sudan Watch Mar 24, 2006 Sudan will be president of Arab League summit in Khartoum - Interview: Sudan FM Lam Akol:

(Asharq Al-Awsat) Khartoum will host an important Arab summit within days. What have you prepared for this summit? What do you expect this summit to do for Sudan and the Arabs?

(Akol) The Arab summit will be held in Sudan, which will celebrate its 50th independence anniversary this year and the 1st anniversary of the peace agreement. The first topic on the summit agenda is Arab-African cooperation. There are many other topics on the agenda. These include issues related to Sudan like establishing a fund to help the areas affected by war in southern Sudan. There is also a clause on the Arab African countries' participation in the African peace-keeping forces in Darfur. There are also issues related to the Arab Justice Court, the Arab Peace and Security Council, and other such issues. There are many topics on the summit agenda. We expect large participation. We also expect the summit to issue clear resolutions that serve the Arab homeland as a whole, particularly Sudan at this stage.

Sudan expresses appreciation of Gaddafi's peace brokering efforts

Libyan news report Mar 26, 2006 says Sudanese presidential adviser Mustafa Osman Ismail hailed the Libyan leader's efforts to end tension and expressed high appreciation for the Col Gaddafi's pioneer role to end tension between Sudan and Chad

Note, over the past two years, Col Gaddafi has worked hard behind the scenes to help broker peace for Darfur. Recently, it was reported he will urge Sudanese President al-Bashir to hold direct talks with Darfur rebel leaders.



Photo: Libya's leader Col Gaddafi leads noon prayers with a Sudanese delegation from Darfur before their meeting in his traditional tent in Tripoli, Libya, Monday May 9, 2005. The first flight taking food from Libya directly into Darfur in western Sudan took place as the U.N.'s food agency launched a campaign to reach nearly 2 million people during the rainy season. (AP Photo/Yousef Al-Ageli)

On March 15, 2006 it was reported Libya to host summit on Darfur - Sudan, Egypt leaders to attend but according to Sudanese FM Akol's recent interview this did not take place - excerpt:

(Asharq Al-Awsat) Dr Mustafa Uthman. He talked about a tripartite summit by Al-Bashir, Mubarak, and Al-Qadhafi although you denied that there were any plans to hold such a summit. Did the summit take place?

(Akol) The summit did not take place. This means foreign policy is still in the hands of the Foreign Ministry. However, every person has the right to make statements. Not only Mustafa Uthman is entitled to this right but others who make statements about foreign policy issues. This is their right, but the state policy is well known and the responsible state departments are known. The Council of Ministers is the side which approves polices and the Foreign Ministry implements these policies in cooperation with the presidency.

Mar 24 2006 Interview: Sudan FM Lam Akol says Sudanese government calls for strengthening of AU mission in Darfur



Photo: Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi (C) receives Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (L) and Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir (R) as Libya hosts a two-day summit of African leaders on finding peace in Darfur on May 16, 2005.

Nov 20 2005 CIA met Gaddafi - Sudan rounded up extremist suspects for questioning by CIA

Feb 18 2005 Tony Blair hails Gaddafi's efforts for Darfur

Feb 21 2006 Libya's Gaddhafi and Senegal's Wade discuss African solution to Darfur crisis - United States of Africa?

Feb 23 2006 Libya offers African Union 100,000 troops, 1,000 tanks, 100 aircraft to close Chad-Sudan border

Feb 24 2006 Libya's Gaddhafi and Sudan's al-Bashir discuss Darfur crisis - see list of further reports

Feb 26 2006 Chad-Sudan border peacekeeping force - AU chair and Libyan leader Col Gaddafi follow up on Tripoli mini-summit

Feb 28 2006 Libya's Kadhafi urges Africans to fund AU troops in Darfur

Feb 28 2006 Egypt, Libya leaders reject UN Darfur force



Map of Libya courtesy Wikepedia - click on image for link to notes on Libya's history and politics.

Mar 6 2006 Libya sets up surveillance groups on Chad-Sudan borders

Mar 8 2006 Libya receives Sudanese Vice-President Ali Taha

Mar 9 2006 US hopes Libya could expand its mediation efforts for peaceful solution to Darfur conflict

Mar 24 2006 Sudan will be president of Arab League summit in Khartoum

Mar 24 2006 Gaddafi lashes out at 'backward society' in Middle East

Mar 25 2006 Sudan says UN takeover of AMIS would encourage intransigence from the armed groups - Sudan wants South Sudan CPA as a model for Darfur

Mar 25 2006 Sudan believes Arab summit supports Khartoum stance on Darfur

Spelling of Libyan leader Gaddafi's name

"Muammar Gaddafi" is the spelling used here at Sudan Watch for the sake of archive searches. This spelling (Muammar Gaddafi) used in Wikipedia articles is also TIME magazine's preferred spelling. According to Wikipedia Gaddafi's name has, however, been transliterated in a wide variety of ways:

For example, an article published in the London Evening Standard on March 29, 2004 lists a total of 37 spellings; a 1986 column by The Straight Dope counted 32. The Associated Press and affiliates (such as CNN and FOX News) use the spelling Moammar Gadhafi. Al Jazeera uses Muammar al-Qadhafi. The US State Department uses Mu'ammar Al-Qadhafi.

In 1986, responding to a Minnesota school's letter in English, he used the spelling Moammar El-Gadhafi. According to his personal website, he prefers the spelling Muammar Gadafi, although the domain name gives yet another version, al-Gathafi.