Kadhafi motorcade roars towards Ghana

CONAKRY (AFP) - Libyan leader Moamer Khadafi arrived Saturday in Guinea, driving in a motorcade of several hundred vehicles en route for Accra and an African Union summit, locals said.

Coming from the Malian capital Bamako he was welcomed at the border at 1:00 pm (1300 GMT) by Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate and several ministers.

Kadhafi halted at Siguiri, 700 kilometres (435 miles) northeast of Conakry, to an enthusiastic reception before moving on 100 kilometres (60 miles) to Kankan where he had lunch with Kouyate.

A rally was planned at the municipal stadium.

Kadhafi was due to stay overnight at Mamou, 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of Conakry, arriving in the capital Sunday afternoon. He is due to meet Guinean President Lansana Conte, 73, in power since 1984.

Monday morning his convoy pushes on into neighbouring Sierra Leone and then Ivory Coast.

Kadhafi is a strong backer of the idea of a "United States of Africa" which is to be discussed at the African Union summit to be held in July in Accra.