President Nicolas Sarkozy defended Muammar Gaddafi's recent visit to France by stating that in the Arab world, Gaddafi is not seen as a dictator. This visit, the first in 34 years, resulted in the signing of multiple business agreements. Despite criticism from human rights organizations and opposition groups accusing Sarkozy of prioritizing business over human rights, he emphasized that Gaddafi was invited to France as a gesture of gratitude for Libya's release of foreign medics accused of infecting Libyan children with HIV. Sarkozy's remarks were made in an interview with Le Nouvel Observateur magazine. Sarkozy stated that Gaddafi is the longest serving head of state in the region and the Arab world. He believes in the importance of France engaging in dialogue with all parties while remaining steadfast in its values. Gaddafi came to power in 1969 through a military coup. Libya's relations with Western countries improved after it abandoned its weapons of mass destruction programs in 2003 and provided compensation to families affected by bombings of U.S. and French airliners. However, Amnesty International emphasized the need for Libya to prioritize human rights and trade cooperation as it re-enters the international stage. The group stated that President Nicolas Sarkozy cannot be content with merely signing commercial agreements in Libya without also pushing for tangible improvements in human rights. The value of the contracts signed has caused controversy in France, with some questioning the actual worth of the deals and calling the visit a "tragicomic farce." Gaddafi criticized France, diminishing its influence and marring the broad appeal of its message. During a meeting with French business leaders, he emphasized the importance of strengthening political relations between Tripoli and Paris in order to benefit companies. French construction group Vinci's chairman, Yves-Thibault de Silguy, reported that Gaddafi expressed appreciation for French firms operating in Libya. Gaddafi acknowledged that political decisions made by certain countries had negatively impacted firms in the past, but believed that the current political climate was more favorable and could facilitate the growth of French companies in Libya.