TUNISIA: Senators McCain and Lieberman in Tunisia.

Record ID: 591075

  • Title: TUNISIA: Senators McCain and Lieberman in Tunisia.
  • Date: 22nd February 2011
  • Summary: TUNIS, TUNISA (FEBRUARY 21, 2011) (REUTERS) SEAT OF THE TUNISIAN DEFENCE MINISTER WHERE MEETING BETWEEN U.S. SENATORS JOHN MCCAIN AND JOE LIEBERMAN MEET WITH TUNISIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMED GHANNOUCHI VARIOUS OF PRESS CONFERENCE OF US SENATORS . SOUNDBITE (English) SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, SAYING: "I think the imporant thing about the process you are going through is for pe
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Tunisia, Tunisia
  • Country: Tunisia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVACSLO7O0COK4FAHJ8QCPL4L75R
  • Story Text: U.S. senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman meet with Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi in a move to show support for the democratic transition of the country.
    Washington has offered Tunisia help in shoring up security following its "model" revolution, U.S. Senator John McCain said on Monday (February 21).
    A popular uprising in the North African state last month ended President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali's 23 years of rule, sending shock waves through the Arab world and inspiring further revolts, one of which toppled Egypt's president 10 days ago.
    "I think the imporant thing about the process you are going through is for people to be able to express their views about the future of the country, about the United States of America and the, in my view also, the danger of radical Islamic extemism. What has happened here is a direct repudiation of al Qaeda who believes the only way you can change governments is through violence," McCain, the leading Republican on the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, said after meetings with Tunisian government officials.
    "We discussed a number of issues with the minister and pledged our continued cooperation and we also are proud of our military and our military relationship between the U.S military and the Tunisian military," he said.
    Elections to replace Ben Ali are expected by July or August. But new protests have erupted in recent days against the interim government tasked with organising the vote for failing to address rising crime rates and lingering poverty.
    Tunisia's ouster of Ben Ali -- widely seen as a repressive ruler who raided state coffers -- inspired Egypt's uprising and has also encouraged mass demonstrations elsewhere in the Arab world, including in neighbouring Libya where scores of people have been shot dead by security forces.
    U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, traveling with McCain, said the situation in Libya was "tragic".
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register