FRENCH CONNECTION:THE ÉLYSÉE Palace has denied a claim by a son of Muammar Gadafy that Libya helped fund Nicolas Sarkozy's campaign for the French presidency in 2007.
Referring to Mr Sarkozy as a “clown”, Saif al-Islam called on the president to return money he had received and pledged to reveal bank details supporting the allegations.
Col Gadafy threatened last week to make public “a grave secret” connected to the 2007 election campaign if the French president recognised the opposition National Council as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.
Asked on Euronews television yesterday about France’s decision to become the first country to recognise the opposition, Saif al-Islam said: “First of all, Sarkozy must return the money he accepted from Libya to fund his election campaign. We financed the campaign, and we have the proof. We’re ready to reveal everything. The first thing we ask of this clown is to return the money to the Libyan people.”
The Élysée Palace denied that Mr Sarkozy’s campaign received donations from Libya. Saif al-Islam did not produce evidence to support his claims.
France has taken a lead role in trying to persuade UN Security Council members to sanction a no-fly zone to arrest the advances of Col Gadafy’s forces. Relations between France and Libya had improved in recent years after Mr Sarkozy’s ex-wife Cecilia flew to Tripoli to help secure the release of six Bulgarian doctors. The Libyan leader visited Paris in 2007, when he pitched his tent next to the Élysée Palace and attended a number of state functions.
But Mr Sarkozy, keen to repair the damage to France’s reputation from its clumsy and hesitant handling of the Tunisian revolt, has pressed for decisive action against the regime in Tripoli.
In his interview, Saif al-Islam alleged that Libya had helped Mr Sarkozy so that he would help the country’s people in return. “But he has disappointed us,” he said. “Give us back our money. We have all the bank details and documents for the transfer operations and we will make everything public soon.”
On the fighting in the east of Libya, Col Gadafy’s son said military operations against the rebels were “finished”.