AFP - The head of Tunisian diplomacy Ounaïes Ahmed on Sunday presented his resignation on the eve of the visit to Tunisia by the head of European diplomacy and Catherine Ashton as thousands of illegal immigrants arrived in Italy, Tunisia, the agency said APR.
"In a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Ounaïes today presented his resignation from the transitional government," said agency official.
This former ambassador to retire, aged 75 years and who served under the presidency of Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in the first government of national unity, 17 January.He became a minister in the transitional government revised 27 January by Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi.
But a visit to France since February 4, he had hardly taken up his duties, according to diplomatic sources.
The Independent was heckled on February 7 by Foreign Affairs officials who were demonstrating in front of and within the confines of his department by claiming he leaves immediately after his remarks in Paris. He then took his belongings and left his office.
Visiting Paris whose belated return to the popular revolution was cringe in Tunis, Mr. Ounaïes had no praise for his counterpart Michele Alliot-Marie."I like to listen to Ms Alliot-Marie in all circumstances and in all fora", "he said.
He hailed it "above all a friend of Tunisia," while "MAM" was summoned to explain himself at the same time in France for having benefited from the generosity of a great boss Tunisian business related to the clan and Ben Ali for proposing to the tottering regime "expertise" of the French police, while repression was in full swing.
He had been pinned to "denial of revolution" after statements to the Tunisian private TV Nesma.A cartoon the next day, the daily A Time, showed, under the title "Crazy Alliot-Marie," surrounded by little hearts, seated next to "MAM".
His resignation comes on the eve of the visit to Tunis in the head of European diplomacy and while Italy is preparing to request the deployment of Italian policemen in Tunisia in an attempt to prevent illegal immigrants from many departures from this countries.
Rome, which fears a humanitarian crisis, has already asked the EU to take an early final decision within ten days on the Frontex deployment of a mission to patrol the coast of Tunisia.
His departure also represents a new squawk for the transitional government, as politicians and observers, is still sailing in sight, one month after the fall of Ben Ali, multiplying doubts, misconceptions and flashbacks.
