World Leaders Joins Kaddafi To Celebrate 40 Years’ Rule

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and Sudan's Omar Hassan al-Bashir, and other African leaders are in Tripoli, Libya celebrating with Moamer Kaddafi, on his 40 years rule.

The celebration also coincides with the African Union summit.

Libya has invited dozens of Western heads of state but European leaders are expected to stay away, including Italy's Silvio Berlusconi who visited Libya on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of a Libyan-Italian friendship agreement.

Celebration Galore

Military bands, 400 dancers, aerobatic planes and fireworks electrify Tripoli, as Muammar Gaddafi throws Libya's biggest party to mark four decades since taking power.

Philippe Skaff, head of event coordination said the six days of celebrations across the North African country were designed to get the message across to the world that Libya was open again for business after years of heavy sanctions and isolation.

Reuters/ Qasim /Austeen