Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi yesterday warned that his country will no longer be a coastguard for Europe as he reiterated his demand for €5 billion a year from the EU to stop “black” migrants from overwhelming Europe.
“We should stop this illegal immigration. If we don’t, Europe will become black, it will be overcome by people with different religions, it will change,” he said, using the same language he had used in a controversial speech he gave in Rome in August.
Speaking at the opening of the third EU-Africa summit being held in Tripoli, he went a step further. Only Italy had understood the situation, he said, pointing out that because it had cooperated with Libya, it managed to “delay” illegal immigration.
“North Africa is the link and Europe is the destination... We are the gate and you should listen to us if you want to preserve Europe,” he said.
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, Libyan Ambassador to Malta Saadun Suayeh described Mr Gaddafi’s request in August as symbolic after the EU shot down the prospect of paying anything of the sort for a deal on immigration.
However, Mr Gaddafi, famed for his maverick style, yesterday reiterated his demand, in a typically lengthy opening speech.
Libyan organisers pulled out all the stops for the summit, summoning a massive security detail of police and military personnel and even closing off significant parts of downtown Tripoli.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi addressed the two-day meeting late in the afternoon, during a session dedicated to climate change.
From a broader perspective, Mr Gaddafi’s speech went straight to the heart of the problem faced by the leaders convened at the summit.
As well as Africa’s leading aid donor, the EU remains the top trading partner of this developing continent. However, the situation is changing fast with emerging players like Brazil and India joining China in pursuing business with the resource-rich continent.
While Europe tends to exert pressure on questions like human rights, democracy and freedom of speech during talks with most African states, China especially has been notoriously unconcerned with these issues, having itself fought off external pressure for democratic reform.
Mr Gaddafi played on this in his speech, pointing out that Africa had options in China, Latin America and Russia, besides Europe. He argued that Europe should not interfere in the internal affairs of any country.
Specifically on the subject of human rights, he argued this was a subjective matter which should be left to individual countries to manage.
“What is a human right? According to the Green Book (Gaddafi’s 1975 book outlining his views of democracy and political philosophy) a human right is the right not to be made to work eight hours and being paid for four,” he said.
The discussion should hinge on developing solar and nuclear facilities in Africa and connecting the two continents so the energy can be exported to Europe, he stressed. “This is what we should be discussing and internal matters should be left for each country to decide for itself.”
At the last minute the meeting was boycotted by Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who faces an international arrest warrant for war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.
There are also notable absences from the European side – British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.