Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi on Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the coup that brought him to power, with celebrations attended by African, Arab and Latin American leaders. Western nations sent lower-level representatives.
Kadhafi's party started around midnight on Monday near Tripoli with a two-hour spectacle that paid homage to the leader and featured music, illuminations and dance. Kadhafi's invited guests included Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, African leaders who had earlier attended an African Union summit in Libya, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, his Dominican counterpart Leonel Fernandez, Serbian leader Boris Tadic and Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.
Later on Tuesday, Kadhafi and his guests watched a military parade comprising detachments of African, Arab and European troops.
Some 80 aircraft, including two French Rafale jets, carried out a fly-past over the streets of Tripoli.
© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
