Gaddafi confessed his love for Rice

A three-day tour of North African countries by American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ended with a discussion of the problems of separatism in Morocco. The Moroccans convinced the guest that the problem of the province of Western Sahara, where there are supporters of independence, can only be solved within the borders of the kingdom. Rice, for her part, called for closer coordination of efforts in the fight against terrorism. She discussed the same problem in Tunisia and Algeria. The latter's president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, invited the American woman on the evening of Saturday, September 6, to a festive iftar dinner. Muslims arrange such meals every day during fasting in the month of Ramadan, when you cannot drink or eat in broad daylight, but you can during the dark.

Rice's visit to Libya on September 5 was historic. Before this, the US Secretary of State last visited oil- and gas-rich Libya when Condoleezza Rice was not yet alive (she was born on November 14, 1954). It was a visit in the spring of 1953 by John Foster Dulles. Relations between the United States and Libya deteriorated after Muammar Gaddafi came to power in 1969. The Americans accused him of supporting terrorism and even bombed his capital residence in the mid-1980s. "I couldn't even imagine that I would actually visit Libya," Rice said after meeting Gaddafi. She praised the Libyans for their “strategic change of course” and said: “The United States has no permanent enemies.” At this time, 66-year-old Gaddafi, who opposed the creation of American military bases in the region, told in an interview how he “really loves” Rice, and not only for her “African origin”: “Lisa, Lisa, Lisa... My dear. .. I admire her and the way she “bows” the Arab leaders and orders them.”

During the tour, Condoleezza Rice repeatedly criticized Russia for its actions in Georgia. The Secretary of State promised that her government would withdraw the agreement on Russian-American cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear energy sent to Congress for ratification. It was signed in Moscow in May of this year.

Elena SUPONINA