Libyan leader Moamer Qaddafi has slammed Sarkozy's Mediterranean Union project aimed at linking Europe with six countries of North Africa.

"If the aim is to put Europe in league with six African countries against the rest of Africa, then it's no!," Qaddafi told the 10th summit of the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), which opened Tuesday in the Benin capital, Cotonou.

"Initially the project was a union of six countries bordering on the Mediterranean and six European countries on the Mediterranean. We were in agreement with that. But then it became the whole of Europe and the six North African countries, against our interests and we are going to fight that project," he continued.

Also about a week ago Qaddafi had voiced more criticism for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's project -- which is due to be officially launched on July 13 in Paris -- as "a form of humiliation," stressing that Africa will not "under any circumstances take the risk of tearing apart Arab or African unity."

The Libyan leader, who eclipsed the other heads of state and government attending the summit, criticized other regional bodies such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States.

CEN-SAD, the biggest economic grouping in Africa, which was set up in 1998 in Tripoli, on Tuesday added three new members: Kenya, Mauritania and Sao Tome and Principe.

The group aims to achieve economic union by doing away with obstacles to the free circulation of people, goods and capital.

FF/RA