A complex host

A complex host

Flanked by a phalanx of bodyguards the Libyan leader walked to the podium to take over the presidency of the Arab League. 

It is seldom that personal security has been quite so evident in a forum such as this, the opening of the summit meeting of the organisation taking place in Muammer Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte.

Yet in his opening address the Arab world's longest serving leader made clear that no amount of protection could shield leaders from a growing public expectation and demand.

"We can no longer hide or seek refuge behind our security apparatus," he said. "Because they have become futile in the face of popular uprising and resistance."

The apparent contradiction between word and action is part of the complex person that is Gaddafi. A man who through decades has continued to surprise, shock and anger with a series of controversial pronouncements and deeds. 

Ronald Reagan, a former US president, once dubbed Gaddafi "the mad dog of the Middle East".

He was widely accused of sponsoring a variety of militant groups espousing and acting on behalf of a number of different causes. He was believed to be behind the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing nearly 300 people. 

The Libyan leader's international rehabilitation began when he agreed to hand over the two men accused by investigators for trial under Scottish law in a Dutch court.  

Subsequently, Libya acknowledged responsibility for the actions of those involved and its tag of "rogue nation" disappeared finally along with the end to its nuclear weapons programme.

Yet when one of the convicted men returned to Libya following his release on compassionate grounds he was met by a celebratory crowd and controversially granted a televised audience with Gaddafi.

Given this chequered background of the host there was great concern among many that the 22nd Summit Meeting of the Arab League was taking place in Libya.

In public at least the fears were allayed. A relaxed and cordial Gaddafi was at the airport to greet most of the dignitaries, this an unusual step. So too was the self-deprecating display of humour in his speech.

"I personally have spoken a lot in the past forty years, about everything," he said as several delegates grinned and nodded.

Then he continued with a serious point about the Arab people.

"I think they now expect from us the Arab leaders actions and not speeches or rhetoric." 

In one paragraph, he effortlessly made a joke and set the theme for the entire occasion.

A source who was present tells of an interesting interaction during a private meeting between the Syrian and Palestinian leaders at which Gaddafi was present. 

Under discussion was the Middle East peace initiative, with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, reportedly telling an increasingly angry Mahmoud Abbas, his Palestinian counterpart, that the concept of a strategic peace was dead in the water, and the only way forward was armed resistance.   

According to a second source the argument grew so heated that some in the security details were fingering their weapons.  

Then the Libyan leader broke the tension by saying in good humour to the Syrian president: "Well if you’re so hot on resistance how about liberating the Golan Heights?"

Last year at the gathering of the UN General Assembly there was little sign of intentional humour from Gaddafi. 

Even before the gathering he'd created a stir by attempting to find a place in Manhattan to pitch his tent; ending up on an estate rented from Donald Trump who was quick to make sure the tent was removed once he realised the identity of the tenant.  

Then, once on the podium, the Libyan leader spoke for more than an hour longer than the 15-minute maximum allotted to leaders.

On the face of it the speech was a rambling tirade, attacking the United Nations as a useless organisation while he brandished the UN charter angrily before tossing it aside in disgust. This at a time when Libya held the presidency of the Security Council.

Yet the context of this could perhaps be better understood in this Arab League conference.

One of the two main discussion points tabled by Libya was a call for Arab leaders to press for reform of the UN Security Council, including an important and very critical demand that the pool of nations holding permanent places on the Security Council be enlarged.  

On the other hand the second discussion point called on the Arab League to support Libya in its diplomatic offensive against Switzerland.

The background to this is informative about the Libyan leader’s propensity to respond sharply to perceived insult.

Two years ago Gaddafi's son-in-law was jailed for two days on assault charges by the Swiss authorities. Diplomatic relations with Switzerland were severed, and the situation deteriorated even further when, in retaliation for a Swiss travel ban on Libyan citizens, the Libyan leader imposed a similar ban on citizens of all countries falling within the Schengen visa zone.

The dispute had widened dramatically. As a direct result a Swiss businessman is at present serving a jail term in Libya on charges of breaking immigration regulations.

Max Goeldi was charged in July 2008 and had taken shelter in the Swiss embassy in Tripoli before emerging to face the charges in a court last month. He was convicted, fined the equivalent of $800, and sentenced to four months in prison.

The Swiss government and International human rights organisations have strongly protested his conviction and imprisonment to no avail.

The draft resolution concerning Switzerland reportedly did not reach the discussion stage in closed sessions of the Arab League summit, the resolution concerning the United Nations Security Council did. Gaddafi was continuing to make his point.

In looking at the behaviour of another somewhat complex character Shakespeare once wrote: "Though this be madness, yet there is method in it". 

Perhaps what should be added in relation to the Libyan leader is one word - "sometimes".