Qathafi considered Bush's policy as acceptable except for the invasion of Iraq

1/12/2005

The Libyan leader Muammar al-Qathafi said that the policy pursued by the US President George W. Bush would be acceptable had it not been for the invasion of Iraq.

In an interview with a private Greek TV, al-Qathafi stressed "had the catastrophe not taken place in Iraq, we would have said that ( Bush) is a man who pursues an acceptable policy." The Libyan leader also expressed his regret for the intervention of the British prime minister in the Iraqi affairs, noting that "Blair loves to do good." He added that apart from the intervention in the Iraqi file "I would have loved him very much because he is a leftist, optimist and dynamic."

Al-Qathafi said he admired very much the French President Jacque Chirac during his recent visit to Tripoli in November 2004, stressing he changed his mind over Chirac following the meeting. He added that he found that Chirac is "very nice, collaborative and moderate."

The meeting with al-Qathafi was run for Star station by Dimitra Mimi Liani Papandreau, the widow of the late Greek prime minister Andreas Papandreau who had been holding firm relations with al-Qathafi during the 1980s.