Cairo – Khaled Mahmoud

Italy and Russia announced that they do not oppose a return to Libyan political life by Seif al-Islam al-Gaddafi, the son of later ruler Moammar.

An official in the Italian government had stated that Rome “cannot claim that Seif al-Islam has no right to pursue a leadership role in his country.”

It cannot oppose his return to politics if he enjoys popular support, he added. “This is democracy.”

He made his remarks in wake of a surprise visit paid to Libya by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte over the weekend.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, meanwhile, said that Seif al-Islam should play a role in Libya.

The RIA news agency said that one of Seif al-Islam’s representatives had delivered a letter from him to Moscow earlier this month in which he had set out ideas for the political future of Libya and that he was in regular contact with Russia.

“We support everyone. We believe that nobody should be isolated or excluded from a constructive political role,” RIA cited Bogdanov as saying.

“That’s why we are maintaining contacts with all groups who are based in the west, east and south of the country ... Seif al-Islam has the backing of specific tribes in specific areas of Libya and all this should be part of the overall political process with the participation of other political forces.”