Libya celebrates 40th anniversary of Gaddafi's rule

Tripoli (Earth Times - dpa) - Libya began Tuesday a week of celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the coup d'etat that brought Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi to power in 1969. The festivities are being attended by Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, along with African leaders including Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, and Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir.

The African leaders gathered in Tripoli on Monday for a one-day African Union summit that was set to coincide with the celebrations.

Many Western countries are only sending low-level diplomatic representation following international protests, particularly from the United States and Britain, over the hero's welcome Tripoli offered to the freed Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi.

France is sending its secretary of state for development, Alain Joyandet.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who met with Gaddafi on Sunday to celebrate Libyan-Italian Friendship Day, did not attend the ceremony.

Serbian President Boris Tadic will most likely be the only head of a European country to attend, according to Serbian dailies.

Tadic will be present at a military parade in honor of Gaddafi, where 26 members of the Serbian army will participate. Serbian Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac will also be there.

To celebrate the day, a three-hour showcase event will be held in Tripoli on Tuesday night that the Libyans say will rival an Olympic opening ceremony, al-Jazeera satellite channel reported.

The celebrations will include military bands, 400 dancers depicting scenes from Libya's history, aerobatic flights and fireworks displays.