Hannibal Kadhafi/ El Megrahi TRIPOLI - En obtenant jeudi la libération du Libyen condamné pour l'attentat de Lockerbie et des excuses suisses pour l'affaire de son fils Hannibal, Mouammar Kadhafi remporte un succès diplomatique retentissant, à une semaine du 40e anniversaire de son arrivée au pouvoir. The release Thursday of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, after a long legal and diplomatic drama, coincided with a surprise visit to Tripoli of the Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz, who came to apologize for the arrest in July 2008 of Hannibal Gaddafi, a case that plagues since relations between the two countries. Welcomed as a hero at Maatiga military airport in Tripoli, despite criticism from Washington and London, Mr. Megrahi was officially regarded by Libya as a "political hostage" in the hands of the West. "We believe that Megrahi is a fighter who has sacrificed for his country and we must respect him", said the former Libyan ambassador in London and key player in the Megrahi case. "We are pleased with his return and we believe that his release is an achievement for Libya," he said. The warm welcome given to Abdelbaset Megrahi is a "revenge on the West, who had rolled out the red carpet for the nurses and the doctor from Bulgaria, at the time of their release in July 2007 after eight years in prison in Libya," said Libyan journalist. The six practitioners were sentenced to death on charges of infecting with HIV / AIDS Libyan children. Once considered a "godfather" of international terrorism, Libya is now seen as an interlocutor in particular for the fight against terrorism or the resolutions of conflicts in Africa where the country has made massive investments. The diplomatic breakthrough, Tripoli owes it mainly, according to the Western media, to its black gold still in the centre of discussions with the west. "By making contracts of billions of dollars, Libya negotiates often in a strong position especially in these times of crisis," said a Western diplomat in Tripoli. The President of the Swiss Confederation has to obey the requirements of Tripoli, with Thursday's “apology for the wrongful arrest” of Hannibal Gaddafi last summer. Libya, very annoyed by this arrest, has suspended in October 2008, in retaliation, the oil deliveries to Switzerland, withdrew assets of an estimated 5 billion euros from the Swiss banks, end cooperation programs between the two countries and imposed restrictions on Swiss companies. Strongly criticized by the Swiss press, Mr. Merz said he reached the two goals he had set coming in Libya: set the "Hannibal Case" and the return on the Swiss market of Libya. This apology was described Friday as "humiliation" by the Swiss press, which considers that the Confederation had to "surrender" before the Libyan leader denying the rule of law. Reintegrated into the community of nations, Libya has become an essential partner of the international community for its influence in Africa but also its energy reserves. After years of setting aside, the Libyan leader, who chairs the African Union, could celebrate all crowned with glory, the 40th year since he came to power on 1 September, before going probably in September to New York to participate in the UN General Assembly, which is chaired by Libya also.
