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Friday, August 20, 1999 Published at 14:09 GMT 15:09 UK


             World: Africa

             Gaddafi calls for United
             States of Africa

             Colonel Muammar Gaddafi: Vision for the future

             Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has called for
             the creation of a United States of Africa and raised the
             prospect of a single currency for the continent.

             In an interview with the French newspaper, Le Figaro, he
             said the time had come for African countries to "throw
             away the rifle" and work for peace and development.

             He said modern road, rail and air links had to be created
             to link the countries of sub-Saharan Africa with those of
             northern Africa.

             "It is the interest of Europe, America, China and Japan
             that there be an entity called the United States of Africa.

             This is the historic solution for the continent."

             He said Europe now wanted dealings with regional
             groupings rather than individual countries.

             His comments come ahead of an extraordinary summit
             of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) next month
             when heads of state are set to discuss revising the
             body's charter.

             The OAU summit also coincides with the 30th
             anniversary of the toppling of the Libyan monarchy when
             Colonel Gaddafi seized power.

             Single currency

             The Libyan leader, who is known for trying to unite Libya
             with Arab countries, said: "Africa is my natural place ...
             African Arabs are Africans and Arabs who live in Asia
             are Asians."

             He also proposed the setting-up of an African
             Development Bank, and suggested that the continent
             could eventually have its own single currency.

             He added that the "time for wars was over", saying that
             the scourge of African countries was that each one
             wanted to have its own armed forces.

             "An army is costly and has nothing to do but coups. As
             for me, if a neighbouring state wants to invade Libya, I'll

             scatter flowers on its way. Let it come to help me face
             Libya's problems".

             On relations with France, Colonel Gaddafi said they were
             now good.

             But he added the fact that Libya had paid compensation
             for the bombing of a French airliner over Chad in 1989 did
             not mean that Tripoli was responsible for the attack.

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