Deterioration of French-Tunisian Relations The Tunisian presidential elections of Last October and the accompanying articles in French press denouncing human rights violations, corruption and the absence of democracy in Tunisia, have led to a visible deterioration of the traditionally strong and friendly relations between Tunisia and its economic partner France.

The communique translated below reports the dismissal of a French university lecturer in Tunis as an example of this trend.

Communique Paris, January 13th 2000

We have been informed that Jean-Francois Poirier, French university lecturer teaching in Tunisia, has been informed of an unjustified dismissal decision taken by the Tunisian ministry of higher education, thus ending his contract with the High Institute of Humanities in Tunis where he has been teaching for three months. This unjust measure against J.-F. Poirier comes under the logic of the anti-French policy adopted by Ben Ali's government since the Tunisian preseidential elections of October 1999 which were accompanied by a wide media campaign in France to denounce human rights violations in Tunisia and the establishment of a police dictatorship that encourages corruption. Le monde newspaper has recently published, in its January 7th 2000 issue, a letter adressed by the university lecturer to Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, informing him of "anti-French measures which have multiplied since the beginning of November" in Tunisia. Thus, the Tunisian authorities aim, through this decision to dismiss the lecturer, at punishing the French media which had only fulfilled their duty of informing and exercising their freedom of opinion. Our Union (Collectif de la communite tunisienne en Europe) expresses its complete solidarity with J.-F. Poirier, and strongly denounces this measure taken against him which constitutes a regrettable violation of the spirit of Euro-Mediterranean partnership which we believe is to be established on friendship between peoples and the respect of human rights. We urgently appeal to the French and European authorities to intervene and call upon their Tunisian counterparts to re-integrate J.-F. Poirier in his teaching post immediately.

On behalf of the Union,

Mondher Sfar Collectif de la communite tunisienne en Europe

(Union of the Tunisian Community in Europe)