FRANCE:Opposition to Libyan dictator Muammar Gadafy's five-day visit to France has reached the ranks of French president Nicolas Sarkozy's government.
Col Gadafy rode from Orly airport to Paris in a white stretch limousine followed by a 300-strong entourage that included cooks, dancers and musicians.
Rama Yade, France's junior minister for human rights, was the most outspoken critic within the government. The fact that Col Gadafy arrived on December 10th - International Human Rights Day and the 59th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - was "scandalously powerful", Ms Yade told Le Parisiennewspaper.
"Col Gadafy must understand that our country is not a doormat on which a leader, whether terrorist or not, can come and wipe the blood of his crimes," Ms Yade said. "France must not receive this kiss of death."
She continued: "No one knows what happens to the people who disappear in his country. The press is not free. Prisoners are tortured. The death penalty was abolished for Libyans, but it is still enforced for sub-Saharan Africans - and he claims to be the founder of the United States of Africa!"
After her outburst, Ms Yade was summoned to the Élysée Palace yesterday for a meeting with Mr Sarkozy.
Ms Yade refused to comment on her scolding, and did not attend the dinner in Col Gadafy's honour last night because she was attending another event hosted by the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues.
Foreign minister Bernard Kouchner also missed the dinner, on the pretext that he had to go to Brussels. Mr Kouchner told France-Inter radio that he was "resigned" to Col Gadafy's visit.
Announcing to journalists that he was about to sign €10 billion in contracts with Col Gadafy, Mr Sarkozy boasted: "Since I've been [ in the Élysée], we've signed contracts for €3 billion with Morocco, €20 billion with China and €5 billion with Algeria."
Eighty people were arrested in Paris street protests against Col Gadafy's visit.