Qatar, UAE and Kuwait Support Tunisian Recovery

Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait asserted their readiness to back up the Tunisian economic and social revival programme presented in the G8 summit, said, on Thursday, Mr. Moez Sinaoui, in charge of communication at the Prime Ministry. "Qatar, the United Arab Emirates assured the trust placed by the Gulf investors in the Interim Government, the economy and competence of the Tunisians, who enjoy great esteem," in those countries, reminded Mr. Sinaoui, during the regular meeting with the press in which he presented the balance sheet of Interim Prime Minister Béji Caïd Essebsi's recent visit to the Gulf countries.He also highlighted the political scope of this visit, denying allegations which described this tour as a "begging for charity or financial assistance."The reason behind the interim PM's visit to those three countries expresses the will to "pay them homage for commending the Tunisian Revolution and respecting its foundations; as opposed to other countries," he specified.Diplomatic relations between Tunisian and Gulf countries experienced some "half-heartedness" during the last two decades, contrarily to those with the West, he explained. "We hope that the visit of Mr. Caïd Essebsi will help energise these relations and encourage the return of the Gulf investors to Tunisia," he added.The Interim PM's talk with his Qatari, Emirian and Kuwaiti counterparts were marked by frankness and the determination to hoist bilateral relations to the highest levels, Mr. Sinaoui said. In this connection, he characterised relations with Qatar of "extremely harmonious," pointing out that those with the UAE "found again the trust that had been lost," and those with Kuwait "experience a new burst."In another connection, he explained that the National Defence Minister accompanied the Prime Minister in this tour because of Tunisia's recent signing of a military co-operation agreement with the United Arab Emirates and the will to vitalise a similar accord with Kuwait.Answering a question on Saudi Arabia, Mr. Sinaoui pointed out that "the Prime Minister did not include that country in his tour." That country, he said, did not understand the reasons that had sparked off the Revolution of Liberty and Dignity, and the Tunisian people's demands for change.When Saudi Arabia expresses its support to the Tunisian Revolution and understands its motives, then, it will be a new stage of the Prime Minister's trips abroad," he explained, specifying, nonetheless, that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia "is still a brotherly country."