Out of circulation?

Out of Circulation?

TRIPOLI Muammar Qaddafi has been out of the headlines for some time, but he has not been idle. Colonel Qaddafi's major effort recently has beent o rebuild bridges with his neighbors Tunisia and Algeria. Tunisia broke relations with Tripoli after Qaddafi expelled 32,000 Tunisian workers in 1985. But he has since paid $30 million to compensate them for lost wages and seized property, and Tunisians are once again seeking work in Libya. Air service has been re-established between the two capitals, and the Tunisian consulate here has been re-opened. The ground for the rapprochement with Algeria was prepared by Libya's estrangement from Morocco, Algeria's traditional rival and enemy. Last summer, Qaddafi proposed to the Algerians one of those "unions" that crop up in the Arab world from time to time. The Algerian government was cool at first, but then began to see in the initiative an opportunity to make difficulties for its western neighbor, still embroiled in its Sahara war with the Algerian-supported Polisario guerrillas. Another reason for Algeria's satisfaction with its new relationship with Qaddafi is the restraint it can seem to exercise over the Libyan leader in regard to further adventures in Central Africa. Qaddafi's invasion of Chad frightened many black African governments whose votes in international organizations Algiers cares about. If Algeria can take credit for Qaddafi's present forbearance, so much the better.