VZCZCXRO7979
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHTU #0067 0221546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221546Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4325
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS TUNIS 000067 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
NEA/IPA AND NEA/MAG (HOPKINS/HARRIS); 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAL TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIAN MFA STATEMENT ON CONCERN OVER SITUATION 
IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES 
 
REF: TUNIS 44 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary. On January 21, the Tunisian Foreign 
Ministry (MFA) released a statement regarding its concern 
about the situation in the Palestinian Territories.  The 
statement received broad coverage in the Tunisian press, and 
government and ruling party newspapers carried the story on 
the front page.  The statement comes less than ten days after 
the MFA issued a statement expressing satisfaction with 
President Bush's efforts to promote peace in the Middle East 
(reftel).  Tunisian opposition parties close to the ruling 
party also released a similar statement on January 21.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  On January 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) 
issued a statement that received wide coverage in the local 
media.  Text of the MFA communique (official Tunisia-Africa 
Press Agency translation) is as follows: 
 
Begin Text. Tunisia is following with great concern and deep 
anxiety the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian 
territories, especially in the Gaza Strip, which might result 
in a humanitarian disaster.  While reasserting its rejection 
of the logic of force and all forms and practices of 
repression, as well as measures of blockade, sealing-off and 
disruption of all forms of re-supplying vital to the 
brotherly Palestinian people's daily life, Tunisia reiterates 
its call to the international community to urgently and 
efficiently intervene to put a halt to the Palestinian 
people's sufferings and guarantee to them the necessary 
protection.  Tunisia considers that the persistent escalation 
represents a serious menace to the efforts and initiatives 
aimed to revive the talks, and to the future of the peace 
process, and compounds the region's complex situation. End 
Text. 
 
¶3.  (U)  The Tunisia-Africa Press Agency (TAP), the official 
government news agency, also issued a statement quoting the 
loyal opposition parties Socialist Democratic Movement (MDS), 
People's Unity Party (PUP), and Unionist Democratic Union 
(UDU).  According to the press release, the MDS (the largest 
opposition party in parliament), "voices deep concern about 
the escalation of the situation and the blockade imposed on 
the brotherly Palestinian people, reiterating the Movement's 
solidarity with and support to the Palestinian cause."  The 
PUP, "expresses deep concern about the Israeli aggression 
against the Palestinian people's children in Gaza.  PUP calls 
for an urgent Arab action to put an end to this aggression, 
stressing the need for the Palestinian national forces to 
start a broad national dialogue that would lay down a 
platform for an international consensus."  The UDU condemned, 
"the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and calls on all 
national and Arab forces to support the Palestinian people 
and work to lift the unfair blockade imposed on them."  Per 
the TAP press release, the independent Tunisian Bar 
Association also issued a statement supporting the removal of 
the "blockade." 
GODEC