Brussels, 12/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - The 7th Session of the EU-Tunisia Association Council took place in Brussels on Tuesday 11 November, under the joint chairmanship of Alain Joyandet, French Secretary of State for Development Cooperation and Francophony, and his Tunisian counterpart Abdelwahab Abdallah. Agreement was reached on strengthening the partnership, said a press release issued after the meeting, which, breaking with convention, was not followed by a press conference. Careful consideration was given to cooperation between the two parties and to economic and trade relations. These relations are long-standing and important since Tunisia was the first Southern Mediterranean country to form a free trade area on industrial goods with the EU, said the press release. The EU said that it would look favourably on the Tunisian proposal for an enhanced partnership along the lines of the “advanced status” enjoyed by Morocco. A working group will be set up to consider the issue. The meeting also provided the opportunity to discuss political issues, both on the agenda (rule of law, governance, human rights) and not (Union for the Mediterranean - UfM - the situation in the Maghreb, EU-Africa relations, combating terrorism), the press release went on. On the UfM, the two sides limited themselves to welcoming the outcome of the Marseilles conference (3-4 November) and wishing the process success. No mention was made of the secretariat of the new Euro-Mediterranean body. Bernard Kouchner suggested in Marseilles that an offer of the post would be made to Tunisia. Jordan, however, is also in the running.
According to the official Tunisian press agency, Tunisian Minister Abdelwahab Abdallah welcomed the surge in Tunisia-European Union relations, stating that “because of the level and quantity of its links with the Union, Tunisia can legitimately aspire to advanced partner status with the EU”. For Tunisia, cooperation with the EU is a “priority and a strategic choice”. The agency also quoted European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner who “underlined EU support for Tunisia's efforts to modernise” and welcomed “Tunisia's leading position in several areas and the new prospects offered by the current framework for cooperation between the two partners”. (F.B./transl.rt)