Sky News Gets Exclusive Interview with Colonel Gaddafi

In an exclusive interview with Sky News (to be broadcast from 0400 GMT Monday, 26 October), the Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi talks about weapons of mass destruction escalation in the Middle East, Barack Obama's award of the Nobel Peace Prize, the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside of the Libyan Embassy 25 years ago and Libya-British relations.

Speaking to Sky News' Colin Brazier, the Libyan leader says that WMD escalation in the Middle East may eventually lead to the Palestinians having nuclear weapons, if Israel continues to be allowed to hold nuclear arms. He says President Obama deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, but being given it now is "some sort of hypocrisy, sycophancy" and is "premature".

On the shooting of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside of the Libyan Embassy, he says she was not an enemy, and was sorry: she was there to protect the Libyan Embassy, but no one has been identified as the gunman.  Gaddafi says Libya-British relations are very good.  They continued to be good even during the sanctions and isolation.  And he says that businesses and banks continued to trade between the two countries - even when there were no diplomatic relations.

Colin Brazier's questioning was wide ranging and included;

ON IRAN AND WMD

Colin Brazier: My first question today is Iran - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and whether you have a message for Iran and their weapons of mass destruction, in the light of what Libya did in 2003?

Muammar al-Gaddafi: Iran, up to now, hasn't said it is manufacturing a nuclear weapon:  Iran says it is enriching uranium. If Iran were to manufacture nuclear weapons, nuclear arms, then all of us, including us, will be against them.  But Iran has not said so.  The strange thing is that we have double standards: 1/ there is no focus, or concentration, on talking in the same way for the Demona Nuclear Reactor (Israel), in the same way there is focus for what Iran is doing. So, if the Israelis have the nuclear weapons and the nuclear capabilities, then it is the right of the Egyptians, the Syrians, the Saudis to have the same - even the Palestinians should have the same because their counterparts, or their opponents, have nuclear capabilities.  Why not?  Even the state of Palestine, when one day it is established, should have a nuclear capability because the counterpart of such a state, the Israeli state, already has nuclear capabilities and, if we don't want this situation, so we'll have to disarm the Israelis from their nuclear weapons and capabilities.

ON OBAMA AND THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Brazier: The leader said he sees President Barack Obama almost as an African leader.  How did he feel when he heard President Obama had won the Nobel Peace Prize?

Gaddafi: It goes without saying he is an African and we are proud that we Africans, we on the African continent, Africa as a whole, presents someone who is an African to be President of the United States of America.  But, as regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I do believe he deserves it, but to be given right now I think it is some sort of hypocrisy, sycophancy, and I think it is premature.  It is not due yet.

ON THE SHOOTING OF WPC YVONNE FLETCHER

Brazier: Yvonne Fletcher was shot outside the Libyan Embassy in 1984. I wonder if, Sir, you have a message for the family of Yvonne Fletcher, who are still seeking justice?

Gaddafi: You see, I know that such a thing happened. I know a policewoman was shot and killed when she was doing her duty.  She is not an enemy to us, and we are sorry all the time and our sympathy, because she was on duty, she was there to protect the Libyan Embassy, but this is the problem that should be solved - but who did it?  That is the question.  It is always like a persistent matter.

ON UK-LIBYA RELATIONS

Brazier: How would you characterise the state of Libya-British relations?

Gaddafi: Very good, good.  We have economic relations, investment relations, British companies, banks and, indeed, investments over there in England.  Let me say that economic relations were good even during the time of Lockerbie between our two countries.  They were never affected.  Even during the time when we had no diplomatic relations, when diplomatic relations were cut off, British companies were working in the oil sector and British banks were dealing with Libyan banks and we had commercial ties and economic relations never affected, although we had no diplomatic relations.