You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Africa: North
Tunis urges antiterror cooperation
2003-11-13
Tunisia has called for more intense international cooperation against terrorism as the western Mediterranean Arab countries seek closer economic ties with Europe. "We need more coordination among the intelligence communities," said Tunisian Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia. "There is no line of demarcation between terrorism, the drug traffic and organized crime. All major issues interact."
Ooooh! Is there an echo in here?
Interviewed after a conference on the effect on Arab countries of the European Union's expansion next year, Mr. Ben Yahia also stressed the need for a "global strategy" to combat terrorism in Iraq. "We respect the United States' position on terrorism," he said. "The fight should be of a global nature. It is a challenge to all of us." The foreign minister also said, "Peace in Iraq should lead to the elimination of terrorism."
Now all we've got to do is eliminate all the terrorists in Iraq.
There is a "convergence of views between Tunisia and the United States, there is a partnership of views and ideas, which is a source of satisfaction," he said.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#6  Tunisia has been friendly to the U.S. for many years. The current government is a class act.
Posted by: R. McLeod   2003-11-13 7:45:07 PM  

#5  Forgot to mention: the main industry of Tunisia is textile and its main business partners are the Jewish textile merchants of Marais (zone of Paris).
Posted by: JFM   2003-11-13 4:41:28 PM  

#4  The Tunisian government has forbidden pilgrimage to Mecca ("the country cannot afford the loss of cash"), and it discourages or forbids (not sure)
praying five times a day or fasting for Ramadan as
bad for productivity. Tunisia has also a very liberal legislation about women. Finally, Tunisian Islamists tend to die young.


Tunisia is far closer to Atataturk's Turkey than to Saudi Arabia.

Posted by: JFM   2003-11-13 3:42:00 PM  

#3  Tunis took a big step fwd in getting rid of Arafat
Posted by: Frank G   2003-11-13 11:29:07 AM  

#2  Tunisia - generally relatively moderate, trying to modernize economically, in some respects resembling Morocco.

Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait on a good day, and most Iraqis. More sanity out there than one might think. (Of course on the other side is Egypt, Saudi, Syria, Sudan, Libya, the Pals, some gulfies, and the bitterenders in Iraq.)
Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-11-13 9:11:18 AM  

#1  "We respect the United States' position on terrorism," he said. " The foreign minister also said, "Peace in Iraq should lead to the elimination of terrorism."

Quick Ethel, my pills! No-o-o, the big ORANGE ones!

Is this guy for real? Is this an Arab and a Muslim saying this? I want to do a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test on him right now: he might be sane!
Posted by: Steve White   2003-11-13 1:43:33 AM  

00:00