VZCZCXRO1072
PP RUEHLMC
DE RUEHTU #2287 2481125
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 051125Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1761

UNCLAS TUNIS 002287 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (MHARRIS), NEA/PI (SFRANCESKI), LCONNELL 
TREASURY FOR RBAYLAY 
USAID FOR PDELP 
USTR FOR EBRYAN 
NSC ADEMOPOULOS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN EAID KMCA TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA NOT INTERESTED IN MCA 
 
REF: MCC 450 
 
¶1. (SBU) In reponse to Embassy reminders for financial data 
for Millennium Challenge Account selection, the Government of 
Tunisia has declined to submit the required information, 
thereby withdrawing Tunisia from consideration for MCA 
funding.  In a meeting with EconOff, MFA Deputy Director for 
the Americas, Moez Sinaoui, asked whether the selection 
criteria for Millennium Challenge Account selection would be 
the same as last year, when Tunisia fared poorly on democracy 
and governance indicators and was not selected.  After 
receiving an affirmative response, Sinaoui stated that 
Tunisia would not be submitting the required financial data. 
He went on to add that the U.S. wants Tunisia to reform areas 
that Tunisia does not believe require reform, musing "Maybe 
you are wrong, or maybe we are wrong." 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment: The GOT's decision to take itself out of 
the running for MCA funding is not surprising.  Little has 
changed in Tunisia's governance record in the past year to 
merit an improvement in MCA selection indicators and as 
Sinaoui frankly stated, the GOT sees no need for reform in 
these areas.  The GOT has deduced that it has preempted the 
embarrassment of receiving a second set of poor scores on 
democracy, followed by what would likely be MCA 
ineligibility.  End Comment. 
BALLARD