Anger at mayor's Gaddafi invite

Colonel Gaddafi has renounced weapons of mass destruction

A letter written from the new mayor of a south Wales town to Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi encouraging links between Wales and Libya has been criticised.

Bridgend mayor Suleman Hawas, who came to Wales from Libya over 30 years ago, sent a letter to Mr Gaddafi following the country's decision to get rid of weapons of mass destruction.

The 48-year-old wrote on behalf of the town council to applaud the decision and suggest ways of promoting closer ties between the two countries.

But Bridgend County Borough Council leader Jeff Jones has condemned the idea.

"[The suggestion] that a civic link be established between Bridgend and Libya is in my view entirely inappropriate and morally wrong," he said.

"Libya's long record of human rights abuses and involvement in terrorist atrocities is well known and has been documented by organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

"Any attempt to forge links with Libya in its current state is grossly inappropriate."

Human rights charity Amnesty International warned any visit to the UK by colonel Gadaffi could spark protests.

Mr Hawas told BBC News Online one day he would like to see Bridgend - which already has formal links with French and German towns - twinned with his former home of Tripoli, the capital city of Libya.

Mr Hawas, who has four children with his Welsh wife Shane, told Mr Gaddafi in his letter he believed he was the only Libyan to become the mayor of a British town.

"As a fellow Libyan I wanted to congratulate the president on his decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction.

Visit

"I hope his decision will lead to stability and peace in the Middle East and I have written to him in a gesture of friendship," he said.

"We are looking to have links with some peace organisation with Libya at first but eventually would like to twin with a Libyan town.

Bridgend could form links with Libya

He added that, although it was unlikely, he would welcome a visit to the town from the president in the future.

The Libyan leader was ostracised by many in the international community following the Lockerbie tragedy in 1988, when explosives brought down a Pan Am flight to New York over the Scottish town.

The blame was laid at Libya's door, with two Libyans, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi, and Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah eventually convicted of carrying out the bombing.

Following the recent peace initiative, weapons inspectors have gone to Libya to begin the process of disarming nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Mr Hawas added: "I welcomed his move away from weapons of mass destruction and in making the world a safer place and suggested ways of strengthening ties between communities in Wales and Libya.

"Libya is now opening up to tourists and there are big possibilities for exchange visits."

Bridgend is already twinned with two towns - Langenau in Germany and Villenave D'Ornon in France.