IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 001599 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/MAG (HOPKINS/HARRIS); DRL (JOHNSTONE/KLARMAN) LONDON AND PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KDEM KPAO TS SUBJECT: IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH OPPOSITION GREEN PARTY Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On December 18, the Ambassador met with Mongi Khamassi, Secretary General of the Green Party for Progress (PVP) to discuss the Tunisian political landscape and US foreign policy. The smallest of the "loyal" opposition parties, the PVP emphasized the need for gradual political progress and continued economic reform. Khamassi briefly touched on the PVP's political platform, but focused mostly on the role of the United States in Iraq and Palestine. He welcomed the Ambassador's offer to work with the PVP on future exchange or training opportunities. End Summary. -------------- Newest Party on the Block -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador met with Mongi Khamassi, Secretary General of the Green Party for Progress (PVP),on December 18 to discuss the Tunisian political landscape and US foreign policy. Khamassi is a former member of the loyal opposition Social Liberal Party (PSL),who left to found his own political party (the PVP) in March 2006. Khamassi repeatedly noted that he is the leader of a relatively new and small political party, though he hopes to expand. For example, Khamassi mentioned that party gatherings typically involve 40-60 people. (Note: In comparison, the opposition Renewal Movement (et-Tajdid) or Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) both had several hundred people attend their party congresses. End Note.) Khamassi told the Ambassador that the PVP currently has party offices in three locations and members without offices in five. He hopes to expand to fifteen locations by the end of 2008. Khamassi blamed the PVP's lack of a newspaper on inadequate funding. Though political parties represented in parliament are given a government stipend, Khamassi explained that since he was elected to parliament while he was still a member of the PSL, the PVP merely receives nominal funding (and that thanks only to President Ben Ali). -------------- Long Live the GOT -------------- ¶3. (C) Khamassi lauded the GOT's focus on the economy and opined that the GOT is responsible for slow but steady progress, noting that freedom of speech can not be made at the expense of economic gains or the middle class. Khamassi praised President Ben Ali's recent initiative lowering the voting age from 21 to 18, but added that Tunisian youth have little interest in politics anyway. Khamassi said young people prefer to focus on living a middle class life, which is why his party is very concerned with how to engage Tunisian youth. Khamassi said that "everyone" wants to accuse the ruling Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) for not promoting political freedoms, but really it is Tunisia's lack of a culture of democracy that is to blame for low levels of political participation. -------------- Party Principles? -------------- ¶4. (C) Khamassi frankly said that the PVP does not intend to field a candidate in the 2009 presidential elections and that he supports the reelection of President Ben Ali. Khamassi said that he didn't see the point of running for president as he had no realistic chance of winning. He found it preferable to endorse President Ben Ali, who "knows how things work," and focus on municipal and legislative elections. Khamassi explained that his party is close to the government by choice, since "to participate, you have to be close to the regime." In response to repeated questions by the Ambassador about his party's platform, Khamassi said the PVP is concerned with human rights, liberty of the press, the economy, unemployment, and youth. Khamassi said his party was concerned with the environment, but offered no specific policy initiatives other than to say the PVP had funded a survey to identify problem areas (presumably of an environmental nature). Khamassi did ask the Ambassador about the US position regarding the 2007 Global Warming Conference in Bali, and the Ambassador responded that the United States recognized global warming as a problem, and is focused on how to address it. He added that global warming is a global problem, not just a problem for the United States, and all countries must share in responding to it. -------------- US Foreign Policy -------------- ¶5. (C) Most of Khamassi's comments focused on US foreign policy in the Middle East. He urged the United States to more strongly support the Palestinian Territories. As for Iraq, Khamassi opined that though he is a strong believer in democracy, he does not support military intervention. The Ambassador responded that both issues are important, noting that Palestinians should have their own state, but stressing that Israel also has a right to security. It is fortunate, the Ambassador continued, that there are leaders willing to negotiate in order to bring about a real solution. He added that President Bush and Secretary of State Rice are working hard on the peace process, but said that peace requires the help of everyone in the region, not just the United States. The Ambassador mentioned that the United States has many exchange and training programs designed for political parties, and Khamassi expressed an interest in participating if the opportunity arose. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) For the leader of a party ostensibly focused on environmental issues, Khamassi had surprisingly little to say about "green" issues. Indeed, he had trouble recalling the Global Warming Conference in Bali. Judging from his statements, the PVP's platform does not seem to differ substantially from the other "loyal" opposition parties. Given general limitations on access to the media for the opposition and its lack of a newspaper, the PVP faces serious barriers to promoting its platform and campaigning. Even if Khamassi's expansion plans come to fruition, the PVP is likely to remain the smallest of the loyal opposition parties. End Comment. GODEC