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Qaddafi unhappy with Western `help'

Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi has complained that Western countries have failed to properly compensate Libya for scrapping its nuclear arms program and as a result countries like Iran and North Korea would not follow his lead.

Speaking on the 30th anniversary of his declaration of Libya as a Jamahiriyah (state of the masses), Qaddafi told the BBC in an interview broadcast late on Friday that the West had failed to help transform his nuclear weapons program into nuclear power.

"This should be a model to be followed. But Libya is disappointed because the promises given by America and Britain so that we could give up our capabilities were not fulfilled," the BBC Web site quoted Qaddafi as saying.

"And therefore those countries said `we are not going to follow Libya's example because Libya abolished its program without any compensation,'" he added.

Libya agreed in 2003 to abandon its nuclear arms program and allow access to international weapons inspectors. The move further helped bring the North African Arab country back into the international fold after years of isolation.

"They said if you abolish your war program we will help you to develop your nuclear abilities into peaceful ones. This has not happened," Qaddafi said.

The US has publicly voiced hopes that Iran and North Korea would follow Libya's example.

Last month, North Korea agreed to take steps to abandon its nuclear weapons program under a deal that could bring the impoverished communist state some US$300 million in aid.
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