US urges Tunisia to pursue reform

Powell said Tunisia had made some progress with reforms

US Secretary of State Colin Powell has urged the Tunisian Government to pursue political and economic reforms.

Speaking on a brief visit to the North African country, Mr Powell said while Tunisia had made some progress, its people still expected "more to happen".

The trip marked the first stop on a whirlwind tour during which Mr Powell will also visit Morocco and Algeria.

US officials said Mr Powell aimed to bolster support for the US-led war on global terrorism and promote democracy.

Political and economic change

Mr Powell - the highest ranking US official to visit Tunisia since President George W Bush came to office in January, 2001 - held talks with Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Foreign Minister Habib Ben Yahia.

[Tunisians] are still expecting more to happen with respect of political reforms Colin Powell

Mr Ben Ali has been in office for 16 years and won his last election in 1999 with 99.44% of the vote.

Mr Powell said while the United States had an "excellent partnership" with Tunisia, the country had to embrace change.

"I have encouraged Tunisian leaders that I met today to continue the process of political reforms and economic change so as to bring new opportunities to the people of Tunisia," he said.

"Tunisia has accomplished so much that its people are still expecting more to happen with respect of political reforms and more openness in the society."

His words echoed a call last month by President Bush for Arab countries to democratise and allow greater freedom for their citizens.

Mr Powell said President Ben Ali told him he would carry out reforms "with a pace that is consistent with the desire and aspirations of his people".

War on terror

Last week, Washington commended Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria for their "excellent" co-operation in the war on terror.

Tunisia and Morocco have both suffered terrorist attacks in recent years.

In April, 2002, Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network bombed a synagogue on the Tunisian island of Djerba, while earlier this year 12 suicide bombers rocked the Moroccan capital in a single day.

Algeria's secular government has been embroiled in a conflict with Islamic militants for the past 12 years.

Tunisian human rights groups and opposition parties, however, have criticised Mr Powell's visit.

"We do not welcome US Secretary of State Colin Powell here because the US is occupying Iraq and continuing its support for Israel to kill Palestinians," said Mokhtar Trifi, chairman of the Tunisian Human Rights League.