"Libya favoured peace in the world by abandoning its WMDs," Kadhafi told the Qatar-based channel in an interview.

"Libya gave up its programme in its interests and in those of its security," he added.

But the Libyan leader said he regretted the lack of cooperation by the international community with his country in the civil nuclear field.

"The United States, Britain, Japan, China and the European Union must in return cooperate with Libya to use nuclear energy for technical and peaceful means," he said.

Libya announced in December 2003, after nine months of secret negotiations with Britain and the United States, that it was abandoning its efforts to develop WMD.