Libyan President Moamer Kadhafi said in a speech broadcast on state television Friday that he has changed his position and is no longer opposed to Arab countries joining NATO.
"I have long been opposed to Arab countries becoming NATO members, but now I see no objection to Arab countries entering NATO if they wish to," he said in a speech in the coastal city of Sirte.
"The presence of an Arab country within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will be a guarantee for Libya that this organization will not attack it."
"Also, I have long been opposed to joint military exercises by Arab countries and the United States, but I think today that any maneuvers that have Arab participation cannot be directed against Libya," he added.
Turning to Libya's relations with the European Union, he said his country "currently finds that it's being courted by the Europeans, who are interested in economic cooperation."
Libya's ties with several European countries have improved since Tripoli handed over for trial last year two suspects in the 1988 bombing of a US PanAm airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland which killed 270 people.
The trial is scheduled to open Wednesday before a panel of Scottish judges in the Netherlands -- TRIPOLI (AFP).
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
