Turkish leader urges pro-Kadhafi soldiers, towns to join Libyan revolution - At the start of his visit to Libya, the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on Friday called on the cities of Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli) and Beni Walid, where fierce fighting is currently taking place, to join the Libyan revolution.

In an address after Friday's prayers at the Martyrs' Square in the Libyan capital, Erdogan stressed the need for all Libyans to remain united, adding that the revolutionary could promote development in the country.

The Turkish Prime Minister, on the last leg of his visit to Arab countries that have experienced popular revolts -- Egypt and Tunisia -- also welcomed the victory of the Libyan people and paid tribute to the memory of martyrs for the sacrifices made on behalf of their fatherland.

He was greeted upon arrival Friday morning in Tripoli, by the president of the National Transitional Council (NTC), Mustapha Abdeljelil, and the secretary of the NTC executive committee, Mahmoud Djibril, with whom he discussed the promotion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Edogan's visit followed those by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the British Prime Minister David Cameron, both of whom reiterated their support for the NTC and pledged to join in the hunt for Mouammar Kadhafi and his officials on the run since the storming of Tripoli on 23 August.

On Thursday, the President of  NTC told a joint press conference he held with Sarkozy and Cameron that a delegation would be sent to Niamey, Niger, to request the extradition of some 32 pro-Kadhafi people, including his son Saadi, who arrived recently in the Nigerien capital.

Pana 17/09/2011