Strasbourg, 15/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - Concerned by the human rights situation in Tunisia, the Parliament adopted a resolution on Thursday calling on the Tunisian government to comply with its commitments towards fundamental freedoms. The Parliament stressed the obvious contradiction between the final declaration of the World Summit on the Information Society (Ed.: held in Tunis from 16 to 18 November) whereby States pointed out that full respect of human rights and democracy is the foundation of the information society, and the scorn shown for this same commitment by the host country, and called on the Council and Commission to take adequate initiatives when the EU/Tunisia Association Council is held in the near future. The Commission was “very concerned”, Commissioner Viviane Reding admitted on Tuesday during the debate. Although the “results of this summit are a success for the EU”, mainly because Europe has spoken “with a single voice throughout the negotiations”, these events make it “very difficult for the EU to pursue its so-called constructive approach” towards the host country, Ms Reding stressed. During the first quarter 2006, the Commission will present a communication on the assessment of the summit and will pursue its effort to ensure the association agreement and the EU-Tunisia action plan (in the context of EU Neighbourhood Policy) comply with human rights, Ms Reding assured. “The events surrounding the summit have increased the tension that already existed” between the EU and Tunisia, Simon Coveney (EPP-ED, Ireland) deplored. Pleased with the results of the summit, Catherine Trautmann (PES, France), complained about the way it had unfolded and mainly about the “sabotage” of certain workshops, and expected a “rapid and firm response from the EU”. Noting that the situation is worsening in Tunisia, the chairperson of the sub-committee on human rights, French Green member Hélène Flautre denounced “violations that are not isolated or individual but which are current practice”. She regretted that the Council had not begun any “public approach to denounce” the situation and calls for an Association Council to be convened as soon as possible. On quite a different tone, Paul-Marie Coûteaux (IND-DEM, France) said “we are trying to blow minor events up out of all proportion”. Why be so harsh towards Tunisia when it is a “model of development”?