No rush to attend Gaddafi's party

Britain has refused to reveal who it will send to the biggest party in Libya's history this week, a celebration of the rise to power of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in a coup d'etat 40 years ago.

With London desperate to avoid further embarrassment in the wake of allegations that it supported the release of the Lockerbie bomber in return for trade deals, no decision had been made about who would represent Britain at the lavish and potentially controversial carnival in Tripoli.

Officials refused to "speculate" who London would send after evidence emerged that Justice Secretary Jack Straw had sent a letter to his Scottish counterpart two years ago saying it was in Britain's "overwhelming interest" to include the Lockerbie bomber Abdel Basset al-Megrahi in a mooted prisoner release programme.

A week of events on a grand scale kicks off today in Tripoli with a massive equestrian display.

Although the precise details of what will happen at the celebrations have been kept secret, the released prisoner is now not expected to attend. Megrahi was reported to be on his death bed at a Tripoli hospital. He is now "too sick" to answer questions, according to his family.

Yesterday, Tripoli took on the frenetic aspect of a city hosting the Olympics. Scaffolding covered the main avenues as lakes of whitewash were slapped on to exposed concrete in last-minute sprucing efforts.

Thousands of people were caught out as the capital's entire central district - which now contains what is claimed to be the largest stage in the world - was fenced off without warning. Frantic Libyans were seen crawling under the fence to get home, while others passed packages and even children to each other under the wire.

Looking down on them and staring from banners everywhere was the face of Africa's longest-serving leader, with his gaze fixed on the future in a way that suggested a determination to keep going for another 40 years.

The diplomatic fallout from Megrahi's release and reception has cast a shadow over the epic anniversary party. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is so far the only European Union leader prepared to lend his public backing to Gaddafi with a one-day visit to Tripoli yesterday. And even the Italian Premier, whose excuse for the trip was the anniversary of a friendship accord, said he would leave before the party began.

- INDEPENDENT