VZCZCXYZ0001
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #0622/01 0751529
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161529Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0125
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1122
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1545
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0678
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG - LAWRENCE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PHUM PREL TS
SUBJECT: SENIOR GOT OFFICIALS' COMMENTS TARGET USG AND EU 
 
REF: A. TUNIS 501 
     ¶B. 03/01/2006 ERELI STATEMENT 
     ¶C. TUNIS 425 
     ¶D. TUNIS 387 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR WILLIAM HUDSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) AND (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  Recent speeches by senior GOT officials have 
directly addressed domestic reform initiatives of (while not 
mentioning by name) USG, as well as other foreign entities 
and domestic activists.   Presidential Spokesman and Advisor 
Abdelaziz Ben Dhia, Minister of Social Affairs Ali Chaouch, 
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Bechir Tekkari and 
ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) party Secretary 
General Hedi M'henni indirectly rebutted official USG policy 
positions on Tunisia in their comments.  Ben Dhia denied the 
presence of political prisoners and the absence of freedom of 
speech in Tunisia, while adding that activists "who rely on 
foreigners for support...have no loyalty."  Chaouch more 
specifically targeted the USG when he refuted the suggestion 
that Tunisia's economic reforms have outpaced political 
reforms.  The strong rhetoric, particularly on the eve of 
what is likely to be a significant presidential speech (on 
the March 20th fiftieth anniversary of Tunisian 
independence), suggests that the GOT, and more specifically, 
the RCD, is likely to remain recalcitrant to USG and other 
demands for increased political reform. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Ben Dhia, Chaouch and M'henni are some of the most 
senior and influential Tunisian political personalities and 
members of the RCD political bureau.  Ben Dhia has been the 
Special Advisor to President Ben Ali since 1999 and prior to 
that was the Secretary General of the RCD from 1996-99. 
Chaouch was named Minister of Social Affairs in August 2005 
and before that was also Secretary General of the RCD from 
2000-05.  M'henni was previously a minister in four different 
ministries, including Defense and Interior, before being 
named RCD Secretary General in August 2005.  While they do 
not mention any country by name, their comments are the 
strongest and most directed criticism of US and EU policies 
toward Tunisia in recent memory. 
 
¶3. (C) On March 10, Presidential Spokesman, Special Advisor 
and RCD Political Bureau member Abdelaziz Ben Dhia made a 
speech to RCD and other government organizations in a suburb 
of Tunis. His comments specifically targeted USG policies and 
statements on Tunisia on the following topics: 
 
-- Political Prisoners: Ben Dhia said there are no political 
prisoners in Tunisia, an oft-repeated GOT position.  However, 
Ben Dhia expanded, saying "what they meant were those whose 
crimes were against individuals are known to all of us...To 
pretend that there are political prisoners in Tunisia is an 
unfounded excuse."  This comment appears to be directed, at 
least in part, at the Department's March 1 statement (Ref B) 
welcoming the late February release of nearly 1600 Tunisian 
prisoners (Ref C), as well as those NGO groups that 
characterize some of these individuals as political prisoners. 
 
-- Freedom of Speech: Ben Dhia asked, "How can they accuse us 
of violating the freedom of press and expression?  In 
Tunisia, there are 253 newspapers and publications."  (NOTE: 
This is a common argument used consistently by the Mission's 
Tunisian intelocutors. END NOTE.)  Although the "they" Ben 
Dhia refers to is unclear, the USG and our European allies 
regularly call for increased freedom of speech in Tunisia and 
the establishment of more independent media. 
 
-- Independent Activists: Ben Dhia criticized those who reach 
out to foreigners for support, saying such Tunisians "were 
behind the colonization of our country in the past."  He 
added, "I am surprised by those who accept money from 
abroad."  This common GOT position against foreign funding 
for local organizations and activists was recently enforced 
by a diplomatic note sent to all embassies reminding them to 
obey the laws related to providing support to local entities. 
 
Ben Dhia went on to criticize the recent alliance between 
leftists and Islamists (Ref D), saying it was "illogical and 
unacceptable."  He also said the GOT considers the Tunisian 
Human Rights League (LTDH, Ref A) a "national achievement" 
and that its current crisis is "internal." 
 
¶4. (C) At a March 11 RCD meeting in Bizerte, Minister of 
Social Affairs, Solidarity and Tunisians Abroad Ali Chaouch 
added his voice to Ben Dhia's, commenting these issues as 
well as another main USG policy statement: 
-- Speed of Political Reform:  Chaouch rejected "foreign 
evaluations that say economic reforms are more advanced than 
political reforms."  This responds to an oft-repeated USG 
position that "Tunisia should match its considerable economic 
and social progress with comparable progress on political 
reform." 
 
Chaouch also lauded Ben Ali's achievements on freedom of 
speech, human rights and the absence of political prisoners, 
echoing some of Ben Dhia's stronger statements. 
 
¶5. (C) On March 14, Minister of Justice and Human Rights 
Tekkari reinforced these comments in a similar speech given 
to RCD members in the southern city of Gabes.  The next day, 
RCD Secretary General M'henni gave another speech with 
similiar points to quasi-governmental organizations and other 
RCD members. 
 
¶6. (C) COMMENT: The comments of these officials seem to 
further reinforce GOT efforts to tighten the party lines, 
rather than make way for increased political reform.  While 
comments such as Chaouch's on the speed of political reform 
seem to target the USG, the broader and more heated criticism 
of domestic entities that reach out to foreign governments 
appears directed at the EU.  Tunisia is currently discussing 
the reform elements of the EU "Good Neighbor" policy, which 
more directly seeks increased civil society development. 
Foreign Minister Abdallah told visiting A/S Welch on March 15 
that these talks require "a lot of our attention," which may 
explain the new GOT and RCD focus on refuting efforts to 
engage or encourage civil society. 
 
¶7. (C) COMMENT, CONT.:  Not surprisingly, French language 
press coverage of these events was limited and not so 
directly critical of the US or EU as Arabic language 
coverage.  For example, the RCD French daily Le Renouveau 
said Chaouch stressed the inclusive nature of President Ben 
Ali's reform efforts in Tunisia, without any distinction of 
economic and political reforms.  The press coverage is more 
interesting given the fact that the GOT's official response 
to the March 1st USG statement on the prisoner release 
received no coverage in Tunisia.  In fact, one local reporter 
who had seen the GOT statement was specifically told not to 
cover it for the local press.  END COMMENT. 
HUDSON