Preparations in Brussels for next Tunisia-EU Task Force meeting

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Khemaies Jhinaoui paid last September 22 a visit to Brussels as part of preparations for the working meeting of the Tunisia-EU Task Force, scheduled for next September 28-29 in Tunis. In addition to EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton, this meeting will gather European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle, EU Special Representative for South Mediterranean Bernardino Leon, several high officials of the European Commission, the European Parliament and member states as well as delegates of international financial institutions and key European groups. This will be the first meeting of such scale to be held by the EU with a partner country. Its aim is to convey a strong message to Tunisia's government and people as well as to the international community in order to favour economic revival and encourage private operators and investors to take further interest in Tunisia. During the talks he had in Brussels with high European officials, particularly Mr. Stefan Füle, the Secretary of State stressed the importance of developing EU relations with Tunisia in this transitional stage through concrete, exceptional and substantial measures aimed to boost national efforts to reduce unemployment, restore regional balance and boost economic revival. The European officials reiterated the EU's strong commitment to the democratic process in Tunisia, saying that the Task Force meeting represents a strong message of support to Tunisia and a propitious occasion for both sides to reaffirm will to deepen relations of strategic partnership.