Brussels, 03/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The leaders of the main EU institutions, the presidents of the European Parliament and the European Commission were lavish in their welcome of the Tunisian prime minister, Hamadi Jebali, who visited Brussels on 2 February 2012. Such warmth was evidently welcomed despite the clash with events on the ground in Tunisia, with demonstrations and concerns about rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of the press. On that very day, for example, presenters and reporters on Tunisian media wore red armbands as a sign of their discontent.
“Our meeting has given me the opportunity to reaffirm the European Union's commitment to supporting the democratic transition in Tunisia. We fully support the democratic process in Tunisia, as it is based on the values which we share: the rule of law and the safeguarding of freedoms, human rights and gender equality”, said Van Rompuy. The distinctly positive views expressed in Brussels seem to be based on the huge difference between what is happening in Tunisia and events in Syria, Libya and even Egypt, subject to a worrying backlash. The EU seems to have decided to make Tunisia a showcase of democratic dialogue with one of the newly emerging Islamist governments in the southern Mediterranean. Van Rompuy commented: “The Tunisian people were the first in North Africa to take the plunge and initiate democratic renewal and Tunisia is also a pioneer in the establishment of democratic structures. If it succeeds in sustaining the process of democratisation under way, Tunisia will continue to serve as a model for change in the region”. Barroso agreed that this approach to transition in Tunisia provided a historic opportunity for the EU to respond effectively and positively to the new challenges raised by the Arab Spring.
The presidents of the three main EU institutions and EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton agreed on this message. The president of the EP, Martin Schulz, said he greatly appreciated the strong signal of commitment by Tunisia to a strengthened partnership with the EU, saying that the EU and Tunisia shared values and there could not be democracy in the absence of full economic, political and social rights. Warning against any temptations for the Tunisian government, headed by the Islamist Ennahdha party, pulling strings to remain in place, Barroso said that in order to deal with the huge challenges facing Tunisians, the timing of constitutional reforms must be respected, giving the transitional govenrment no more than 18 months to do so. The leaders said that the EU would provide tangible support for economic recovery in Tunisia.
Herman Van Rompuy said he and Jebali had “held a constructive meeting which I will sum up in a few words: relations between the European Union and Tunisia are close and strong. We are determined to transform these relations into a genuine partnership of equals... We are convinced of the importance of reform in areas such as security, electoral law and the judicial system, firstly as a response to the demands from the Tunisian people, but also as a very necessary message of reassurance to the outside world, including foreign investors... Dialogue with civil society stakeholders is an increasingly important component of our relations; we are keen to step up this dialogue and involve civil society in all our discussions... Lastly, a general comment on the Arab Spring movements: we contemplate them with confidence and vigilance because a number of the principles upon which they are founded are principles that we hold dear: democracy, free and transparent elections, respect for human rights, the establishment of the rule of law, and respect for women and women's rights”. Like the President of the European Commission later the same day (see EUROPE 10545), Van Rompuy said “the European Union remains committed to progressing towards a privileged partnership (advanced status) with Tunisia; today's visit has enabled us to confirm that this is a shared ambition”.
In a joint five-page statement that the European Commission suggested should be signed to confer as a sign of formality, the measures the Commission is proposing to undertake with Tunisia were set out for various domains (industrial standards, farming, mobility and enterprise), but the document did not include services, which are still a matter of dispute and which might otherwise have delayed talks due to start over the next few days. (FB/transl.fl)