adminwelcomed “with open arms” if he seeks exile in the west African country.
“He will be welcome in our country, if he needs exile in our country,” Gomes Junior told the independent Radio Bombolom.
The prime minister made the statement on his return from the inauguration of Cape Verde’s new president Jorge Carlos Fonseca.
He made the same comments to the media there on Friday, adding “we will ensure his security.”
Asked about the international arrest warrant against Gaddafi, Gomes said: “Guinea Bissau has not ratified the Rome Statute (that established the International Criminal Court), so doesn’t take that into account.”
The west African nation had strong ties with Gaddafi’s regime, which invested widely in hotels, agriculture and cashew nuts – the country’s main export.
Gaddafi visited the country in 2009, and provided support to the presidential campaign of President Malam Bacai Sanha.
He also provided uniforms to the Bissau Guinea army and renovated several of its military barracks.
In early August, before rebel fighters launched an offensive in Tripoli, Gomes Junior told a conference: “Gaddafi and Libya are friends of Guinea Bissau. If the Libyan leader wants to come to Guinea
Bissau we will receive him with open arms.” He condemned NATO airstrikes in Libya as a “flagrant violation of the rights of a sovereign country. Behind this, is the fact that westerners want Libyan oil.”
The flag of the new Libyan authority, the National Transition Council (NTC) – which was raised over the Libyan embassy in Bissau a week ago – was removed last Thursday, an AFP correspondent reported.
Local media reports suggest the foreign ministry had ordered the flag be removed and the green flag of Gaddafi’s regime re-hoisted, however no officials could be reached to confirm this. – AFP.
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