Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has begun his first visit to France since 1973.
France will sign contracts worth 10bn euros (£7.2bn) with Libya, President Nicolas Sarkozy has said during a rare visit by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.
He will meet French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and is expected to sign a series of trade and military deals worth billions of dollars.
The pacts will cover an arms deal and the building of a civilian nuclear plant in Libya, he said.
Col Gaddafi's five-day visit has drawn criticism from France's opposition socialists, as well as President Sarkozy's own human rights minister.
Mr Sarkozy said Libya's decision to renounce terrorism and nuclear weapons should be rewarded.
He was invited after Libya released medics who had been condemned to death, a case in which France mediated.
But critics - including inside Mr Sarkozy's own government - have decried Col Gaddafi's first visit since 1997.
The five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor were accompanied home by Mr Sarkozy's ex-wife Cecilia in July.
They include France's opposition socialists, as well as President Sarkozy's own human rights minister.
Since then, the two countries have strengthened economic ties, and are thought likely to sign further deals.
Warming ties
Our country is not a doormat on which a leader can wipe off the blood of his crimes Rama YadeFrench human rights minister These are expected to include Libya's purchase of Airbus planes, as well as a contract for France to build a nuclear reactor for civil use in Libya.
France is the first Western country to welcome Col Gaddafi since he took the decision to end the country's diplomatic isolation four years ago.
Mr Gaddafi also said that negotiations are under way for the purchase of Rafale fighter jets.
Our country is not a doormat on which a leader can wipe off the blood of his crimes Rama YadeFrench human rights minister
A series of arms and civilian nuclear deals were signed during a trip President Sarkozy made to Libya five months ago.
Warming economic ties were given an additional spur in July, when negotiations between the two leaders resulted in the release of six foreign medics imprisoned in Libya on charges of infecting children with HIV.
The French oil company Total has significant investments in the oil-rich North African country.
Col Gaddafi later received his invitation to visit France.
Controversial
On Monday, Mr Sarkozy said the two men were set to sign an accord agreeing contracts worth 10bn euros.
However, the visit has been strongly criticised by the French opposition.
"We must encourage those who renounce terrorism, who renounce the possession of nuclear arms," Mr Sarkozy said after a meeting with the Libyan leader.
"France must speak with all of those who want to return to the road of respectability and reintegrate the international community," he added.
Mr Sarkozy mentioned arms sales and an agreement to construct a nuclear-powered desalination plant in Libya.
Previously, other deals mentioned have also included a fleet of Airbus passenger jets.
The French oil company Total already has significant investments in the oil-rich North African country.
'Shocking'
Mr Sarkozy said he had also asked Col Gaddafi for "progress on the path of human rights", reported French news agency AFP.
The five-day visit had been strongly condemned by the French opposition.
Socialist leader Francois Hollande said Mr Sarkozy had invited "a head of state who justifies international terrorism".
Socialist leader Francois Hollande said Mr Sarkozy had invited "a head of state who justifies international terrorism".
Mr Sarkozy's then-wife brought foreign medics back from Libya
Col Gaddafi is having his own Bedouin tent built
Centrist politician Francois Bayrou said the visit was "shocking".
Centrist politician Francois Bayrou said the visit was "shocking".
And Mr Sarkozy's junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, said: "Col Gaddafi must understand that our country is not a doormat on which a leader - whether terrorist or not - can wipe off the blood of his crimes."
And Mr Sarkozy's junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, said: "Col Gaddafi must understand that our country is not a doormat on which a leader - whether terrorist or not - can wipe off the blood of his crimes."
Libya ended decades of international isolation four years ago, when it gave up its pursuit of nuclear arms and pledged to renounce terrorism.
Libya ended decades of international isolation four years ago, when it gave up its pursuit of nuclear arms and pledged to renounce terrorism.
Libyan-French relations have overcome a few stumbling blocks in the past three decades, including the 1989 downing of a French airliner over Niger.
Libyan-French relations have overcome a few stumbling blocks in the past three decades, including the 1989 downing of a French airliner over Niger.
Libya accepted responsibility for that bombing and offered a compensation deal to the victims of the crash.
Libya accepted responsibility for that bombing and offered a compensation deal to the victims of the crash.
Col Gaddafi will travel with an entourage of 400 officials and is due to stay in a Bedouin tent in the grounds of the presidential palace in central Paris.
Col Gaddafi will travel with an entourage of 400 officials and is erecting a Bedouin tent for his stay in central Paris.
What do you think of Colonel Gadaffi's visit? Are you in France or Libya? Please send us your comments by using the form below.
What do you think of Colonel Gadaffi's visit? Are you in France or Libya? Please send us your comments by using the form below.
