Khadafy walks out of Arab summit

Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy stormed out of an Arab summit yesterday after denouncing the Saudi king for his long ties to the West.

Khadafy disrupted the opening Arab League session in Qatar by taking a microphone and criticizing Saudi's King Abdullah, calling him a "British product and American ally".

Khadafy has harbored a grudge against Abdullah since exchanging harsh words during a summit in early 2003 shortly before the US-led invasion of Iraq. "Now after six years, it has proved that you were the liar," Khadafy said, adding that he now considered their "problem" over and was ready to reconcile.

But when the emir of Qatar tried to quiet Khadafy, the Libyan leader insisted on speaking to the summit.

"I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the king of kings of Africa and the imam (leader) of Muslims and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level," Khadafy said before getting up and walking out of the hall. A Libyan delegate said Khadafy went to the Islamic museum in Doha for a tour.

AP

(China Daily 03/31/2009 page11)