LOC23:39
20:39 GMT
KUWAIT, Feb 25 (KUNA) -- Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi promised a gathering
of his supporters on Friday to defeat the protesters who seek to topple his
embattled regime, reports reaching here said.
Addressing the rally at the Green Square in Tripoli, capital of Libya,
Gaddafi said: "The Libyan people love Muammar Gaddafi and see him as icon of
dignity," Libyan TV reported this evening.
"If the people do not love me, I do not deserve to live for a single day,"
he stressed.
Meanwhile, he threatened to open the arms caches for tribes to fight the
protesters, saying: "We'll fight then and rout them. We'll defeat any external
hostile attempts as we did with all previous ones."
He charged his supporters to "get ready to fight for Libya, get ready to
fight for dignity, and get ready to fight for petroleum, independence and
glory."
Responding to criticisms that he addressed the public only through recorded
speeches, he said "I am standing among the crowds and we will fight together
to defeat them if they tried to touch any piece of Libya's precious soil."
(end)
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KUNA 252339 Feb 11NNNN