Brussels, 02/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - Ahmed Ounaïes, the new foreign affairs minister in the interim Tunisian government, was received in Brussels on Wednesday by Catherine Ashton, the head of European diplomacy. “I told him once again of the EU's support to the new Tunisia and expressed the wish to see a democratic transition” which will consolidate the rule of law, she said. Ashton said that she was “impressed by the work immediately begun” in Tunis. She reaffirmed Europe's commitment to support the country in the short, medium and long terms, particularly in helping with the organisation of the forthcoming electoral timelines, and she “paid tribute” to the “atmosphere of reconciliation” Minister Ounaïes told her of. He subsequently told EUROPE, after his second meeting, with the president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, that he had given the Commission an inventory of Tunisia's requirements. They correspond to “an overall deficit of several billion Euros”, he said, but did not go into greater detail. Clearly, he expressed the expectation that the countries, which are “brothers and friends”, will stand alongside Tunisia and that European assistance will go beyond the amounts currently earmarked (€240 million over three years).
After his meeting with Ashton, the minister said that he was in any case “aware of the initiative” taken by Ashton in inviting him to Brussels. This is a “first step” which expresses strong solidarity and their “short but intense, substantial and promising” talks have generated hope in him.
He described the EU as “the interface between our people and our main partners in the world”. “We feel safe” with the EU, he added, and “we are not surprised by the positive response (to his request for support) which Baroness Ashton has just given us”. He took the opportunity to provide a lengthy description of developments in the Tunisian political process since its independence (in March 1956), describing the Ben Ali era as “a despotic interlude” in the development of a Tunisia which is turned towards modernity. One of the main areas for work will be a reform of Tunisia diplomacy, which has been suppressed for 15 years, he said, repeating his reference to a “despotic interlude”.
When the subject of Egypt was raised, Ounaïes spoke of his respect for the Egyptian people, adding: “we are not exporters of revolution, but importers of democratic concepts”. (F.B./transl.fl)