Libyan leader in Tunis on sudden visit

Libyan Leader Muammer Qaddafi arrived on Thursday in Tunis on an unannounced visit from Algiers, where he took part in the 35th Summit Conference of the Organization of African Unity.

Soon after arrival, Qaddafi started talks with Tunisian president Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali on bilateral relations and means of boosting cooperation between the two countries.

The Libyan-Tunisian talks also tackled a number of regional, Arab-Maghreb, African and international issues of mutual concern.

This is Qaddafi's first visit to Tunisia since the suspension of the seven-year air ban on Libya in connection with the Lockerbie crisis.

The two men had met at the Algiers African summit. A summit of the Arab Maghreb Union, in which both countries are member together with Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco, is announced for November.