Says Libyan leader's nurse, Oksana Balinskaya, calls him generous employer who gave gold watches to staff
Says Libyan leader's nurse, Oksana Balinskaya, calls him generous employer who gave gold watches to staff
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Gaddafi arrived in Rome last year followed by two of his Amazonian Bodyguards. He has an all-female contingent of 40 such guards, all supposed to be 'virgins'.
Oksana Balinskaya returned to Ukraine after war broke out in the north African country.
She said "Papa" as she calls Gaddafi was generous, giving watches featuring his image to staff every year.
"We had no complaints," she said.
"When [we] were in New York, for example, Papa gave a personal order to give us some money so we could run around the local boutiques."
Rumours untrue
She denied rumours that another, more senior nurse from Ukraine, Galyna Kolotnytskaya, was romantically involved with Gaddafi.
Kolotnytskaya (38), also returned to Kiev at the end of February but has not given any public statements.
She was described in US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks in December as a "voluptuous blonde", one of Gaddafi's closest confidantes and possibly his lover. However, Balinskaya said that was not true in an interview with the Russian daily, Komsomolskaya Pravda.
"Galyna worked in the hospital that serviced Gaddafi's family for eight years. She had the same responsibilities as the other nurses there were five of usu00a0but was more experienced. The things that have been written about her are made up."
Fit as a fiddle
Balinskaya also rubbished speculation that the Libyan leader is "not entirely well" another claim made in a WikiLeaks cable.
"Despite his age, he's in better shape than a lot of people," she said. "He looks after his health and has a check-up every year. As for his [blood] pressure, if only everyone could have that level."
Gaddafi was unfussy about food, she added. "He likes couscous, which is served to him with camel meat or lamb. And like all people in Libya, he loves Italian food, especially pasta."
Passing Power?
It is understood from media reports that a source close to the country's leadership said a Libyan envoy is floating the idea of ruler Moammar Gaddafi passing power to a son, a notion rebel leaders deem merely cosmetic.
Under the proposal, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (38), would help to usher in swift reform. But Saif has become one of his father's most outspoken defenders since the start of the unrest.
And the proposal to shift power from Gaddafi to his second-oldest son is "a ridiculous offer," said Ali Aujali, a former Libyan ambassador to the United States who now represents the Libyan opposition in Washington.
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Aujali said the rebels are willing to offer Gaddafi and his family safe passage out of Libya in an exchange for an end to the fighting but that's as far as their offer goes.
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