Tunisian president receives US delegation

TUNIS, Tunisia, ANKARA

Tunisian President Kais Saied received on Friday a US delegation headed by Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer.

Finer delivered a written message to Saied from US President Joe Biden, the Tunisian presidency said on Facebook.

During the meeting, Saied said exceptional measures he took last month were within the framework of implementing the Constitution and responding to popular will in light of the political, economic, social crises and rampant corruption and bribery in Tunisia.

There is no cause for concern about the values ​​of freedom, justice and democracy that Tunisia shares with American society, he said.

Finer said Biden is closely following the situation in Tunisia and has the utmost respect for Tunisia and its president.

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed Finer’s meeting with Saied in a statement.

“During the visit, he delivered a message from President Biden reaffirming his personal support, and that of the Biden-Harris Administration, for the Tunisian people and urging a swift return to the path of Tunisia’s parliamentary democracy,” said the statement.

Finer stressed the urgent need for Tunisia to appoint a prime minister-designate who would form a government able to address the immediate economic and health crises facing the country.

On July 25, Saied dismissed the government of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, suspended parliament and appointed himself head of the public prosecutor’s office.

Tunisia has been gripped by a deep crisis since Jan. 16 when Mechichi announced a Cabinet reshuffle but Saied refused to hold a ceremony to swear in new ministers.

Tunisia is seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition among Arab countries which witnessed popular revolutions toppling ruling regimes, including Egypt, Libya and Yemen.