PRESIDENT OF TUNISIA ACCEPTS PRESIDENT DE MARCO'S INVITATION TO VISIT MALTA

The President of the Republic of Tunisia Zine el Abidine Ben Ali has accepted an invitation to visit Malta in the near future. The invitation was made to him by the President of Malta, Prof. Guido de Marco, during an hour long meeting at the Presidential Palace in Carthage.

The two presidents discussed at length bilateral relations as well as the situation in the Middle East and the problems affecting the Mediterranean Region. The two heads of state agreed that the relations between their countries will continue to be enhanced and that the visit of President Ben Ali to Malta will further the co-operation between the two countries.

President Ben Ali invited President de Marco to pay a state visit to Tunisia.

In their discussions, the President of Malta and the Tunisian President referred to the international symposium on international solidarity and the challenges for development which President de Marco was shortly to address. President de Marco expressed his approval for the initiative of the setting up of an International Solidarity fund aimed at combatting poverty which still exists today among millions of people throughout the world.