Gadhafi continues visit, meets invited women

(12 Jun 2009) SHOTLIST
1. Exterior of concert hall in Rome
2. Audience, including women members of Northern League party, wearing green scarves
3. Various of women holding Gadhafi's "Green Book"and posters with his image
4. Women in audience
5. Applause as Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi arrives on stage with Mara Carfagna, minister for equal opportunities
6. Gadhafi on stage, waving to audience
7. Wide of conference hall and Gadhafi on stage
8. Women in audience
9. SOUNDBITE (Italian) Mara Carfagna, Minister for equal opportunities:
"First of all I, would like to thank you to President Gadhafi for proposing to set up this meeting. I think it is very significant that in a day so important for the relations between Italy and Libya, women's rights were highlighted, and a space was found for this in today's agenda. And also I find it significant that the president, who currently holds the presidency of the African Union, decided to face this touchy problem with us."
10. One of Gadhafi's female bodyguards
11. Women applauding
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic/followed by Italian translation) Moammar Gadhafi, Libyan leader:
"On one hand, for what concerns the form, we can say that the European woman became emancipated, but the reason is not development, or voluntary choice, but rather a constriction, a need." (audience booing)
13. Mid of another of Gadhafi's female bodyguards
14. Gadhafi waving as he prepares to leave stage
15. Wide of Gadhafi and others leaving stage
16. Gadhafi surrounded by media and people, signing autographs
STORYLINE
Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi on Friday continued his visit to Italy, meeting hundreds of prominent Italian women at Rome's concert hall.
Equal Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna opened the meeting, urging the Libyan leader to work out political measures to safeguard women rights in Africa and around the world.
Gadhafi in turn spoke about the condition of women in Europe and in Africa - and his comments were met with both applause and jeering.
The Libyan leader stressed that women and men were human beings, but that European women were forced to become emancipated because of the Second World War, which removed many men from ordinary daily life.
Although the latter comment in particular drew boos from some of the women present, it seemed the majority of the audience enjoyed meeting Gadhafi and many of them crowded around the Libyan leader as he left, eager to get his autograph.

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