JOINT COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY MALTA AND TUNISIA AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE VISIT OF THE HON. PRIME MINISTER DR FENECH ADAMI TO TUNISIA ON 25-26 OCTOBER 2001

On the invitation of H.E. Mohamed Ghannouchi, Prime Minister of the Tunisian Republic, the Hon. Edward Fenech Adami, Prime Minister of Malta, paid an official visit to Tunisia on 25 and 26 October 2001.

This visit, which is seen within the framework of the strengthening of ties of friendship and cooperation and of reinforcement of the tradition of dialogue and understanding between Malta and Tunisia, has made it possible to reiterate the commitment of the two countries to expand the level of cooperation in order to reach a level that corresponds with the aspirations of the two friendly peoples and to promote the setting up of a solid and well-balanced partnership between the two shores of the Mediterranean.

During the course of this visit, Dr Fenech Adami has received by HE Mr Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Republic of Tunisia, to whom he expressed the feelings of friendship and respect which HE Prof. Guido de Marco, President of Malta, has for him.

HE the President of the Republic of Tunisia has, on his part, entrusted the Prime Minister of Malta with a message of friendship and high esteem to HE President Guido de Marco.

The meeting has made it possible to review the state of relations between the two countries, to highlight the encouraging results obtained recently at the level of bilateral relations and to underline the common will of the two countries to enhance these relations to their highest level.

Also recalled on this occasion were the international and regional questions of current interest, especially the developments on the international stage which surfaced following the terrorist acts against the United States of America.

On this subject, HE President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Dr Edward Fenech Adami have reaffirmed the position of Malta and Tunisia which strongly condemns these criminal acts and insists on the necessity of fighting against the phenomenon of terrorism and to act, within the framework of the United Nations, in order to fight this scourge by attacking it at the roots and to bring a peaceful solution to the main unresolved international problems, the first of which being the Palestinian problem.

Moreover, the two Prime Ministers have had in-depth discussions on bilateral relations, the ways of promoting and enhancing them further as well as discussions on regional and international questions of common interest.

The two Sides have expressed their satisfaction on the sustained pace of the exchange of visits by the highest authorities of the two countries, of the level of political understanding and the impetus given to cooperation between the two countries in different fields.

They have also reviewed the important results obtained as a result of the visit made by the Tunisian Prime Minister to Malta on 5 and 6 April 2001.

In this respect, the two Sides have agreed to convene the Reflection and Follow-Up Committee in the course of the year 2002 with the aim of exploring ways and means of strengthening bilateral cooperation, to exchange views on regional and international questions of common interest and to coordinate their positions on these matters.

The two Sides have expressed their satisfaction on the state of bilateral cooperation, especially in the following fields:

• economic and commercial co-operation;
• agriculture and fisheries;
• civil protection;
• education and culture;
• environmental protection; and
• Tourism.

They have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the field of Education and Scientific Research. Besides, they have underscored the possibility of signing an agreement of cooperation in the field of training in employment.

The two Sides have recommended the setting up of a Business Council, the organisation of trade-days for the promotion of products of the two countries and the holding of culture and tourism weeks in Malta and Tunisia.

It has also been agreed to continue negotiations for the setting-up of a Free Trade Area between Malta and Tunisia, in order to offer promising opportunities for the development of commercial exchanges, investment and partnership.

The two Sides have further recommended the acceleration of procedures for the ratification of:

• The Convention on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income, signed on 30 May 2000;
• The Convention on the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Investments signed on 26 October 2000 ;
• The Co-operation Agreement in Civil Defence and Disaster Management signed on 6 April 2001; and
• The Co-operation Agreement on Security and Police Matters signed on 6 April 2001.

Moreover, the two delegations engaged in a fruitful exchange of views on their countries' relations with the European Union. They underlined the necessity of strengthening their dialogue and understanding on this subject and of encouraging their respective entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities offered by the Association Agreement between Tunisia and the European Union, and Malta's eventual EU membership.

The two delegations have reaffirmed their commitment to work together in order to strengthen further cooperation, particularly within the framework of the Barcelona Process, the Mediterranean Forum and the Western mediterranean Dialogue (5+5) and this in order to promote peace, security and the strengthening of dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean region.

Furthermore, the two Sides have engaged in an exchange of views on the consequences of the terrorist acts which have hit the United States of America.

In this respect, they have once more condemned these acts and shown their solidarity with the American People. They have also expressed their hope of seeing innocent civilians among the Afghan People spared the dangers of military operations in Afghanistan.

They have, moreover, insisted on the necessity of rallying the efforts of the international community, within the framework of the United Nations, with the aim of combatting the phenomenon of international terrorism which represents a threat for the peace and security of the whole of mankind while appealing for urgent action aimed at attacking this scourge at its roots. And this on the basis of a global approach which takes into consideration the necessity of finding a peaceful solution to the main international problems and of sustaining the principles of solidarity and well-balanced development among peoples.

In this respect, the two Sides have stressed the importance which is assumed by the initiative of HE President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of creating an International Solidarity Fund as an effective mechanism capable of supporting the international instruments employed to reduce the areas of poverty in the world and this with the aim of reinforcing the capacity of societies to equip themselves against extremist tendencies and to promote the values of solidarity and mutual support among peoples.

They have furthermore expressed their satisfaction for the favourable reception accorded to this initiative by regional and international organisations and which has been crowned by its adoption at the level of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The two Sides have also engaged in a general exchange of views on the role of the UN and of the Security Council of which Tunisia is currently a member, reaffirming on this occasion their commitment to the principles expounded by the United Nations Charter.

The two Sides have expressed their satisfaction on the results of the visit of Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami in Tunisia which has marked the special character of Maltese-Tunisian relations.

At the end of his visit, Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami thanked Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi for the warm and friendly welcome which has been extended to him and to the delegation accompanying him during his stay in Tunisia.