Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed on Thursday, once caused a major diplomatic embarassment to India when he supported the idea of an "independent state" for Kashmir and said that it should be a 'Baathist state' between India and Pakistan.
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In his maiden address to the UN general assembly in 2009, the maverick leader also mentioned India as among the countries that will be competing for a permanent seat in the security council while opposing the induction of big powers into the powerful body.
Gaddafi, who has rarely been a person India has been comfortable with, in his speech railed against India and Kashmir as well.
"Kashmir should be an independent state, not Indian, not Pakistani. We should end this conflict. It should be a Ba'athist state between India and Pakistan," said Gaddafi, shunned internationally for much of his rule because the West accused him of terrorism.
It was for the first time in recent times that a Muslim leader outside the Indian sub-continent had advocated Kashmir’s complete independence both from India and Pakistan.
Speaking with contempt on a range of issues, the Arab world's longest serving leader said opening the doors of the UNSC for big powers would "add more poverty, more injustice, more tension at the world level". He came to power in 1969 and his years of quixotic and often brutal rule came to an end early this year.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking with contempt on a range of issues, the Arab world's longest serving leader said opening the doors of the UNSC for big powers would "add more poverty, more injustice, more tension at the world level". He came to power in 1969 and his years of quixotic and often brutal rule came to an end early this year.
{{/usCountry}}"There would be high competition between Italy, Germany Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Japan, Argentina, Brazil ...," Gaddafi said during his more than one-and-a-half-hour long address.