ST. JOHN’S — Some experts on Moammar Gadhafi say they’re skeptical Canada’s foreign affairs minister will succeed in lecturing the dictator over the “hero’s welcome” Libya gave to the man convicted of arranging the Lockerbie bombing.
Karim Bitar, a fellow at the Paris-based Institute for International and Strategic Relations, says “Gadhafi has the gift of embarrassing his western hosts” by using high-level meetings to promote his nation’s commercial interests.
The Prime Minister’s Office has said Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon will fly to St. John’s during Gadhafi’s planned stopover on Tuesday and voice Canada’s strong disapproval over the “hero’s welcome” organized for Abdel Baset al-Megrahi.
So far, the Libyans haven’t confirmed if the meeting will even occur.
Omar Turbi, an American businessman who comments on Libyan affairs, says the Canadian government may say one thing in public, and another behind closed doors.
He says Canada has long maintained commercial relations with Libya and will probably use the meeting to enhance relations with the African nation.
