SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DAS CARPENTER

S E C R E T TUNIS 000047

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/FO - CARPENTER, NEA/PI - ORBACH AND NEA/MAG -
HARRIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2017
TAGS: PGOV OVIP KDEM TS
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR VISIT OF DAS CARPENTER


Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (S/NF) SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION: Embassy Tunis is very
pleased to welcome your visit on January 10-12, 2007. The
Tunisian security services' December 23 and January 3
operations against a reported group of armed Salafists form
the immediate backdrop to your visit. Although much about
the group and the security operations to take it down remains
unclear, you can expect your interlocutors to point to these
recent events as evidence of the danger posed by Islamic
extremists, with their wariness of U.S. efforts to promote
greater political openness likely strengthened. As you know,
Tunisia's progress on the Freedom Agenda priorities of
freedom of expression and association has been limited over
the past year. However, Post believes there is room for
greater political, economic and social cooperation in 2007 --
including through MEPI programs -- notwithstanding the recent
Salafist threat. Success will require the Tunisian
government to change the way it thinks about these programs
-- and the goals they seek to advance. Unless the GOT comes
to see that it is in its own interest to advance more quickly
on political and economic reforms, they will continue to
reform, or not, at their own pace. We would urge you to be
specific about areas in which the United States can assist
Tunisia in meeting its goals in these fields. END SUMMARY
AND INTRODUCTION.

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Context
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2. (C) The Human Rights Situation: The GOT celebrated Human
Rights Day in December 2006 with speeches extolling Tunisia's
respect for human rights, and with new initiatives focused on
economic and social development. Meanwhile, harassment of
human rights activists, defenders, opposition party
activists, independent journalists, and families of an-Nahdha
prisoners continues as strong, or stronger, than ever. One
specific example is the case of Samia Abbou, wife of activist
Mohamed Abbou, who was prevented from visiting her husband in
prison on December 7. As you are aware, another prominent
human rights case we dealt with this year involved the legal
constraints placed upon the Tunisian Human Rights League
(LTDH). In addition to the blocking of two meetings planned
between EmbOffs and representatives of the Bizerte chapter of
the LTDH, the GOT also transmitted a diplomatic note to all
diplomatic missions advising of 2002 court ruling, which it
said prevented the organization from engaging in activities
other than preparing for its national congress. Given the
amount of high-level discussion that has already taken place
on this issue, and the unconstructive dynamic that has
ensued, we do not recommend that you allow your interactions
to get bogged down in questions of legal interpretations
about this case, which is the direction in which our Tunisian
interlocutors have generally taken such discussions in the
past. Rather, we would recommend that you reserve this point
for use toward the end of your meetings, making clear that
our concern is for the broader principle of freedom of
association, and is not limited to just one organization.


3. (C) Hostile Posture Vis-a-Vis Civil Society Interactions
with Embassies: Additionally, the GOT continues to actively
discourage civil society representatives from interacting
with foreign governments and NGOs. In a series of speeches
over the past year, Minister of State Ben Dhia, along with
other GOT leaders, characterized Tunisians who seek to
cooperate with foreign entities "traitors." This message was
echoed in editorials simultaneously published in three
separate Arabic language dailies September 19 that denounced
"so-called civil society activists" who deal with "superpower
Embassies" as traitors. More recently, the MFA has reminded
diplomatic missions of the limits the GOT places on foreign
funding for civil society groups.


4. (C) Visits: Foreign Minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah will be
traveling to Washington the week of February 12 to meet with
the Secretary and other high-level USG officials. Your visit
represents a key opportunity to highlight the Secretary's
focus on Freedom Agenda initiatives, such as Defending the
Defenders and the Global Internet Freedom Task Force (GIFT),
which are likely to be raised during the Foreign Minister's
meetings. Embassy has demarched MFA officials about these
initiatives, but it would be helpful for you to underscore
their importance as part of our broader vision.

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MEPI
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5. (SBU) MEPI has had few successes in Tunisia. While
regional programs that include Tunisians, e.g. MEET US,
Student Leaders, etc. are generally not problematic,
activities focused on, or based in, Tunisia are frustratingly
so. A particularly difficult aspect of the GOT approach is
its apparent unwillingness or inability to distinguish
between assistance in "politically sensitive" areas, such as
civil society and party activities, and seemingly
non-sensitive areas, such as the Arab Women's Legal Network
or a small grant to a branch of the Junior Chamber
International to train women on business practices. The GOT
has used delays and other bureaucratic tactics, as well as
occasional intimidation of existing or potential Tunisian
MEPI partners to undermine our efforts. The two notable
exceptions have been University Linkages and the Commercial
Law Development Program (CLDP). In the case of the former,
the GOT both welcomes the assistance and feels it maintains
adequate control over it; in the case of the CLDP, it has
taken years to lay the groundwork to develop a positive
working relationship with key judicial partners.


6. (SBU) Even as our MEPI programs are confronted by
bureaucratic roadblocks, GOT officials repeatedly tell us
that they want to work with MEPI. Your visit represents an
opportunity to challenge this inconsistency. First, we would
recommend that you point out how other governments in the
region have embraced, or at least accepted, MEPI. Second,
you could offer some specific examples of programs from which
Tunisia would benefit.

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Message
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7. (C/NF) We offer the following suggested themes/points for
use with GOT officials during your visit. In terms of tone,
we recommend maintaining a helpful posture, and that you be
as specific as possible about areas in which the United
States can assist Tunisia in meeting its goals and the
potential benefits to Tunisia in terms of public recognition
of its efforts. Likewise, it would be helpful if you could
elicit specific concerns that your GOT interlocutors have
with MEPI, so that we can have a useful dialogue about how to
address them to our mutual satisfaction.

The Current Situation:
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-- Impressed with the progress Tunisia has made to date,
particularly on social and economic front. Would like to see
more progress, however, in the area of political openness.

-- Preview visit to Washington of Foreign Minister Abdallah,
noting the Secretary's commitment to advancing the
President's Freedom Agenda, including through initiatives
such as Defending the Defenders and GIFT.

What is in it for the GOT?
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-- Greater political space means that those who have views
different from those espoused by the ruling party have the
freedom to express those views in a non-violent,
non-confrontational way. In the absence of genuine freedom
of expression, such individuals may feel that radical Islam
represents the only alternative way to express their
opposition.

-- Moreover, Tunisia would enjoy far more credibility
domestically and internationally were it to allow greater
political openness.

-- A stable, secure, prosperous, and politically open Tunisia
is the greatest legacy President Ben Ali could hope to impart
to the Tunisian people.

-- We are prepared to do our part to help, both on the
political and economic fronts.


MEPI:
--------------

-- MEPI has now funded over 400 projects worth more than
$400m across the Arab World. We have developed a range of
activities adapted to the needs of countries in the region,
usually based on requests from groups in the region
themselves. Over four years, governments across the region
have seen that MEPI is not threatening or imposing an outside
agenda, but is in fact responsive to the changing
circumstances. Most governments have welcomed an increase in
MEPI programs. This is the case in Algeria, where I just
came from, and where we have greatly increased our MEPI
program over the past year.

-- Unfortunately, Tunisia and Tunisians have not benefited
from MEPI in the same way. We would hope that the GOT would
also welcome an increase in MEPI activities here. For
example, there are a number of economic programs dealing with
international trade issues, such as dispute resolution and
transparency, that could help Tunisia become more competitive
in the global economy. We have technical assistance programs
to help increase the quality and competitiveness of the
media. Likewise, we can share with Tunisian NGOs the
experience of how American civil society has developed to
play a responsible role in supporting both society and the
political process.
GODEC