Al-Qathafi visits Brussels today, meets with senior European officials

Libyan leader col. Mu'ammar al-Qathafi visits today ( Tuesday) the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels in a context of a visit to Belgium which is his first for a western state since 15 years. The visit falls in the course of a speedy normalization of relations with the west.

The Libyan leader is expected to meet with the Belgian prime minister as well as other European officials at the headquarters of the EU.

The EU commissioner Romano Prodi -- who is expected to meet with al-Qathafi, according to the European officials themselves -- will seek to promote for better relations between Tripoli and the west, as the EU is moving towards lifting trade sanctions from Tripoli.

The spokesman for the European commission said that the visit will confirm the European perspective for Libya in the framework of the " Barcelona" process. The name given by the European union to the trade, co-operation, culture and political dialogue treaty with some 11 countries in the southern and eastern Mediterranean area.