"Tunisians took their destiny in their own hands"

Caretaker Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi received, on Wednesday in Kasbah, Mr. Michel Vauzelle, Chairman of French Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) region. The meeting focused on ways to strengthen the co-operation relations and on issues of mutual interest. In a statement to the press after this meeting, the French guest expressed consideration and respect to the Tunisian people for their peaceful revolution "that has sparked the Arab Springs." He placed emphasis on the strong relations between the Tunisian and French peoples, particularly the inhabitants of the PACA region who have strong ties and long-standing souvenirs with Tunisia. The meeting provided the opportunity to express the admiration of Western peoples, especially in France, at the Tunisian Revolution, saying that Tunisians have shown the level of their maturity and awareness; they had their final say and took their destiny into their own hands, which earned them respect of the international community. Consultations that have started from the date of the Tunisian Vocational Training and Employment Minster's visit to the PACA region continued, he added, saying that they focused on the issues of employment, vocational training, exchanges between youths and promotion of the tourist product. The French guest reminded that a technical co-operation convention had been signed, on Tuesday, between the two sides on boosting tourism and rationalisation of the tourist product in the Governorate of Kasserine, given the existence of archeological sites in the region. Issues of mutual interest, the latest developments in Libya and political changes that took place in the Mediterranean region were also reviewed during the talk, also said Mr. Michel Vauzelle. The meeting was attended, in particular, by Minister of Vocational Training and Employment in the Interim Government and the ambassador of France in Tunis.