 Libya upset over case involving leader's son
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-07-24 07:35 Libya has been taking "worrying retaliatory measures" against Switzerland since the arrest of the youngest son of Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy for allegedly beating two of his servants, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said yesterday. It said Swiss citizens should cease travel to the country immediately. Libya has recalled some of its diplomats in Switzerland, suspended the issuing of visas for Swiss citizens, cut down flights to Switzerland and has been detaining two Swiss nationals on various charges, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Swiss companies in Libya have received orders to close, and some company offices have been sealed," it added. Swiss International Air Lines said Libya has restricted its flights to a single flight per week following the arrest of Hannibal Khadafy. Airline spokesman Jean-Claude Donzel confirmed a report in the dailies Le Matin and Tribune de Geneve that the Libyan authorities had said the reduction from three flights a week between Zurich and Tripoli was for technical operational reasons. Libya also announced a similar cut in the flights of the Libyan airline Afriqiyah to Geneva, the Geneva airport disclosed. Agencies (China Daily 07/24/2008 page11) |
