MADRID: Mystery and confusion surrounded a private trip Moamer Qadhafi is making to Spain’s southern Andalusia region this weekend, ahead of an official visit to Madrid.

A Spanish diplomatic source said early this week that the Libyan leader will use his two days to visit Cordoba and Granada, which were centres of power during the centuries of Moorish Muslim domination from 711 to 1492.

But “unless there was a change at the last minute,” Cordoba and Granada were dropped from the agenda for logistical reasons, the Spanish foreign ministry said, which suggested he may go to Malaga instead.

The Libyan embassy would not comment on the private part of Qadhafi’s trip.

The only thing known for sure: Qadhafi’s delegation will set up their tent in a palace in the city of Seville or nearby. But where?

Until Thursday, everyone believed it was the Hacienda de Banazuzu, a former Arab farm from the 10th century, adorned with lush gardens and which houses the Michelin two-star restaurant La Alqueria of top Spanish chef Ferran Adria.

But the press office of the five-star hotel said the Libyan reservation was canceled.

On Friday, Spanish media reported the Libyan leader would be staying at the Hacienda de Boticaria, another top hotel in the countryside just outside of Seville which boasts a vast spa.

A spokesman for the hotel confirmed that members of Qadhafi’s entourage would be staying but would not say if his tent would be set up the grounds of the five-star establishment.

The newspaper Publico said Qadhafi’s visit to the imposing Cordoba mosque, converted into a cathedral in 1236 after Christians retook the city, was canceled. He had hoped to pray there even though the Catholic Church opposes any Muslim worship at the site.

The bishop of Cordoba cited security reasons, the lack of an airport and the difficult access to the monument.

However, that has not prevented officials from Muslim countries from visiting the monument. The last was Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf in April.

Qadhafi was also said to be going on a hunting trip either near the city of Cadiz, north of Seville or near Granada.

The Libyan, who wraps up a controversial five-day visit to France on Saturday would also like to meet with Muslim representative and members of extreme left-wing Andalusian farm workers union.

In France as in Spain, “he has transformed his European trip into a logistical nightmare for the countries that receive him,” said the conservative daily newspaper ABC.

After Andalusia, Qadhafi will meet in Madrid on Sunday with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and on Tuesday with King Juan Carlos.

He has talks on Sunday with business leaders, including Antoni Brufau, the head of Spanish oil giant Repsol, which has major investments in Libya.

The two countries are to sign a political cooperation agreement and a deal on investments in both countries.

“Several contracts are being negotiated” between companies from Spain and Libya, “a key country in north Africa and in the African panorama,” a diplomatic source said.

The Spanish branch of Amnesty International called on Zapatero on Friday to raise the issue of Libya’s poor human rights record, lack of freedom of the press and use of the death penalty during his talks with Qadhafi.—AFP