"The Kuwaiti foreign ministry asked the Libyan charge d'affaires Ali Ahmed al-Alus to leave the country," the spokesman said.

"The Libyan charge d'affaires was summoned to the foreign ministry Sunday morning to receive a memorandum limiting to three the number of personnel for the (Libyan) mission to Kuwait, as is the case for the Kuwaiti mission in Tripoli," he said.

The source said Alus "has to leave Kuwait based on the official memorandum."

Kuwait, which has served as the springboard for US-led coalition troops in the Iraq war, on Tuesday threatened unspecified measures against Libya after the Kuwaiti flag was ripped down from the emirate's embassy in Tripoli by anti-war protesters.

Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Rai al-Aam quoted unnamed foreign ministry sources last week as charging that the "raid" on the Kuwaiti embassy "was provoked by the Libyan government itself and some security personnel also took part."

Television footage had shown a protestor ripping down the Kuwaiti flag at the embassy in Tripoli. Protestors were also seen trying to replace the flag with an Iraqi one but it was not clear if they succeeded.

"I regret what happened in Tripoli against our embassy because it violates regulations and principles," First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah told Al-Rai al-Aam.

"We have submitted a strong protest, which includes a number of demands, and we are following up the issue to see if the Libyan side will take corrective measures. Otherwise we will have to take another decision," Sheikh Sabah said.

Asked if the measure would include pulling Kuwait's ambassador out of Tripoli, Sheikh Sabah had said: "Let us wait for their response and then we will see."

Libya's African Unity Minister, Ali Abdel Salam al-Triki, on Wednesday criticised Kuwait for giving facilities to the coalition, but told journalists there was "no real problem" between Libya and Kuwait.

Triki said he had spoken Tuesday by telephone with Sheikh Sabah, telling him that the demonstration was one of many across the Arab world against the war in Iraq.

WAR.WIRE