Niger rescinds Gaddafi official's diplomatic passport
Niamey, 16 Mar – (ANA) - Niger has annulled a diplomatic passport it handed to Muammar Gaddafi's former chief of staff, security sources said, because of fears the move would further damage Niger's already frayed relations with the new leaders of Libya. Niger gave Bashir Saleh Bashir the passport and an advisory role in government earlier this month. "Yes, Bashir had received a diplomatic passport indicating that he is an advisor to the president of the republic. We have annulled the document following instructions," said a senior Niger police officer who asked not to be named. The officer declined to give details about the instructions or who issued it.
Another senior officer, who also requested not to be named, said the cancellation of the passport stemmed from the desire of Niger's government to ease relations with the new Libyan authorities. (ANA)
FA/ANA/16 March 2012--------