EU to help Tunisia with democratic transition: Ashton

English.news.cn 2011-02-03

TUNIS, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The European Union will help Tunisia in its democratic transition, said Catherine Ashton, European Union foreign affairs chief, following a meeting in Brussels with the Tunisian minister of foreign affairs, Ahmed Ounaies, on Wednesday.

The official press agency TAP reported Thursday that specific measures were evoked with EU member states to support not only the country's democratic transition, but also its economic and social development.

Ashton stressed the importance of the restoration of the state of law and the strengthening of the country's institutions at this critical juncture in time.

On his part, the FM of the Tunisian caretaker government said that his meeting with the EU Head of diplomacy had been " substantial, frank and promising."

On Monday, the European Union agreed to freeze the assets of former president Ben Ali, his wife, and his relatives including those of his brother-in-law, Belhassen Trabelsi, who is currently in Canada, and son-in-law, Sakher El Materi who is reported to be in Qatar.

Editor: Fang Yang

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