Self-critical words of Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s president for the first time admitted to having evaluated the situation in Tunisia completely wrong. "France has underestimated the extent of the desperation of the Tunisians," he said.
Paris – Paris is for his links to the regime of former dictator Ben Ali in the criticism – now French President Nicolas Sarkozy for the first time publicly his misjudgment of the situation in Tunisia given. "France has underestimated the extent of the desperation of the Tunisians," Sarkozy said in Paris. There had been an intolerable corruption in Tunisia. "If one is so near, you do not always have the necessary distance to understand the feelings of others really," the President continued.
Sarkozy had fallen to the Tunisian President Ben Ali 2008, certifies progress in respecting human rights. In particular, Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie drew criticism, because they had Ben Ali offered shortly before he fled French support against the protests.
France would make it the Ambassador of Tunisia to enable the country get the desired new Association Agreement with the EU, Sarkozy said now. In addition, he had instructed Prime Minister François Fillon, together help for the Tunisian economy to be already decided at the next cabinet meeting. Sarkozy called to continue to provide to the Union for the Mediterranean, a new momentum in the Tunisia occupies an important place. The group, initiated by Sarkozy during the revolution had not spoken publicly in Tunisia to the development.
His Minister Alliot-Marie defended the French President. They wanted to prevent with their offer "even more dramatic." He justified the French position on the role as a former colonial power. "For the colonial power, it is not lawful to judge the internal affairs of an ex-colony." The French government was not slow to react to the protests in Tunisia. Only after the run Ben Ali’s Sarkozy made it clear that Paris supported the demonstrators.
The situation in Tunisia, meanwhile, remains extremely tense: Protests against the transitional government has once again clashes between police and demonstrators given. Witnesses said protesters were advanced on the grounds of the government complex in the capital Tunis, and had destroyed the windows of the Treasury. They tried to prevent officials from entering the government building. A reporter for the news agency AFP reported that protesters had thrown stones and bottles at the police. The security forces had used tear gas and then driven back the people. About injured there was initially no information.
In the protest were also numerous people involved from the impoverished rural population, who had joined the demonstrations until Sunday in Tunis for more democracy. About a thousand people had migrated from Sidi Bouzid from the seat of government. In the central Tunisian city had the uprising against dictator Ben Ali started. "The nation has come to overthrow the government," they shouted, and called for a "clean" government without representatives of the ousted regime. They were supported by demonstrators from other parts of the country.
The protests are directed against members of the leadership that even after the flight of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali want to specify in the North African country on the sound. Ben Ali has sold to Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Ghannouchi remained in office to lead a coalition of the unit. The protesters accuse him, however, that former top leaders of Ben Ali’s ruling party to retain key personnel.
On Monday it was announced that two other politicians from the close environment, Ben Ali was placed under house arrest: The former Secretary General of the Unity Party of RCD, Abdelaziz Ben Dhia and the chief of the second Tunisian chamber of parliament, Abdallah Kallel.
