FORMER prime minister Tony Blair's relationship with the deposed Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is under fresh scrutiny after details of a third secret visit by the former British prime minister to the African country emerged from letters found in Tripoli. The correspondence, which is published in today's Daily Mail, sees an effusive Blair buttering up Gaddafi: "Thank you for your hospitality during my visit to Libya and for taking the time to meet with me. I greatly appreciated and enjoyed our wide-ranging conversation." He went on to suggest that Gaddafi might want to invest in one of Blair's pet projects in Africa. "I was particularly interested in what you said about the fund that will be dedicated to projects in Africa, since you know I am doing a lot of work there and know of good worthwhile projects for investment." Blair's letter, which was sent on February 27, 2008, the year after he stood down as PM, proves that he made another visit to the now discredited regime in addition to trips in June 2008 and April 2009, revealed on Sunday. On those occasions he was flown to Libya on a private jet belonging to Gaddafi. Further thank-you letters were sent on the same date to the Libyan prime minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi and - apparently - his deputy, Dr Abdulhafid al-Zulaytini. Blair thanked the pair of them for "facilitating my meeting with the Leader" and invited them to visit him in London. The Mail believes the latest revelations will anger relatives of those killed in the 1989 Lockerbie terrorist outrage, who will see Blair's trips to Tripoli as proof that he was working behind the scenes to help free the alleged bomber, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. During the period when Blair made his trips to Libya, Gaddafi's regime were threatening to cut all business ties with Britain if Megrahi was not freed. If Blair is proved to have lobbied the British government on Libya's behalf, his already sullied reputation will be further besmirched. However, one man who seems to have faith in Blair's judgment is the latest inhabitant of No 10, David Cameron. Despite the speculation swirling around Blair's Libya connections, Cameron has been seeking out his predecessor's advice on foreign affairs - most notably on Palestine's bid to become a recognised UN state. The Mail reports that Cameron has invited Blair to Chequers at the bidding of US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. As representative in the Middle East for the quartet - the UN, US, EU and Russia - Blair speaks for Britain, but the meeting with Cameron is considered to be against usual protocol. Filed under: Tony Blair, Muammar Gaddafi, Col Gaddafi, Libya, Tony Blair Libya, Abdelbaset al Megrahi, Tony Blair Col Gaddafi‘Dear Muammar’... More tales of Blair’s Libya links
A third secret trip by Tony Blair to Libya is revealed – was there a Lockerbie connection?
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
LAST UPDATED 10:14 AM, SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
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