US embassy cable - 99TUNIS305

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 TUNIS 000305 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 01/22/09 
TAGS:  PGOV, PREL, PHUM, TS 
SUBJECT:  TOUR D'HORIZ0N WITH GOT PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN 
 
(U)  CLASSIFIED BY ROBIN L. RAPHEL, AMBASSAD0R, REASON 
1.5, B AND D 
 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY.  0N JANUARY 22, PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER 
ABDELWAHEB ABDALLAH T0LD AMBASSAD0R RAPHEL THE GOT 
H0PED TO USE PRESIDENT BEN ALI'S UPCOMING VISIT T0 
WASHINGTON T0 PR0MOTE TUNISIA'S IMAGE AS A T0LERANT, 
OPEN ISLAMIC C0UNTRY AND MODERATE, C0NSTRUCTIVE ACTOR 
ON SUCH REGI0NAL ISSUES AS THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE 
PROCESS (MEPP).  AMBASSADOR POINTED 0UT THAT, IN 
ADDITI0N TO THESE IMP0RTANT THEMES, HEN ALI SHOULD BE 
PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON M0RE C0NTR0VERSIAL 
ISSUES SUCH AS THE LONG-PENDING VISA REQUEST FOR THE 
DESIGNATED NEW ISRAELI INTERESTS SECTI0N HEAD. 
ABDALLAH, WHO PRAISED U.S. TRADITION OF A FREE PRESS, 
REITERATED BEN ALI'S COMMITMENT T0 M0RE OPEN MEDIA, 
BUT CRITICIZED RESISTANCE AM0NG S0ME G0T OFFICIALS AND 
"SELF-CENS0RING" J0URNALISTS.  AMBASSAD0R STRESSED 
NEED FOR BEN ALI TO DISCUSS TUNISIA'S HUMAN RIGHTS 
SITUATION FRANKLY AND OPENLY BEFORE U.S. AUDIENCES. 
ABDALLAH T0OKQOINT, BUT ALLEGED THAT THERE WERE 
"MANY EXAGGERATIONS" IN CRITICISMS BY FOREIGN NG0'S OF 
G0T'S HUMAN RIGHTS REC0RD.  HE CITED, AS EVIDENCE OF 
BEN ALI'S COMMITMENT To DEMOCRATIZATION, MEASURES TO 
ENSURE MULTIPLE CANDIDATES IN THIS YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION AND TO RESERVE AT LEAST 20 PERCENT OF 
PARLIAMENTARY Q F0R THE OPPOSITION IN THE 1999 
LEGISLATIVE CONTEST. AMBASSADOR MADE A PITCH FOR 
RELEASE OF IMPRISONED TUNISIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LEAGUE HEAD 
KHEMAIS KSILA BEFORE THE PRESIDENT'S VISIT; ABDALLAH 
INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS KSILA'S REFUSAL TO SUBMIT 
THE REQUIRED STANDARD LETTER TO BEN ALI REQUESTING 
CLEMENCY.  IN THIS WIDE-RANGING CONVERSATION, ABDALLAH 
CAME ACR0SS AS A SMOOTH, SAVVY MEMBER OF BEN ALI'S INNER 
CIRCLE WHO DOUBTLESS WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN MOLDING BEN 
ALI'S AGENDA FOR HIS WASHINGTON VISIT.  BIO DETAILS IN 
PARA 13.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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HEN ALI'S WASHINGTON VISIT 
-------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) IN JANUARY 22 MEETING, AMBASSADOR INFORMED GOT 
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR AND SPOKESMAN (MINISTERIAL RANK) 
ABDELWAHEB ABDALLAH THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAD FIXED 
MARCH 23 AS THE DATE FOR PRESIDENT BEN ALI'S OFFICIAL 
WORKING VISIT.  ABDALLAH, WHO CONFIRMED THAT HE WOULD 
BE A MEMBER OF BEN ALI'S DELEGATION, INDICATED C0NCERN 
THAT THERE BE FULL MEDIA TREATMENT OF THE VISIT. 
ABDALLAH SAID HE HAD MET THE PREVI0US WEEK WITH THE 
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPRESENTATIVE IN PARIS, AND THE 
LATTER HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PREPARING A PRE-VISIT 
ARTICLE 0N TUNISIA.  ABDALLAH INDICATED THAT HE WAS 
ALSO IN TOUCH WITH OTHER U.S. PUBLICATIONS CONCERNING 
POSSIBLE PIECES ON TUNISIA.  IN REMINISCING ABOUT A 
LUNCH WITH KATHRYN GRAHAM AND JIM HOAGLAND OF THE 
WASHINGTON POST SHORTLY AFTER BEN ALI ASSUMED POWER, 
HE MENTIONED POSSIBLY CONTACTING HOAGLAND AB0UT A 
FEATURE STORY. 
 
-------------------------- 
BURNISHING TUNISIA'S IMAGE 
-------------------------- 
 
3.  (C) AMBASSADOR RESPONDED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR 
THE GOT TO BE OPEN TO COVERAGE OF THE VISIT BY ALL 
MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES, NOT JUST A SELECT FEW.  SHE 
WENT ON TO ASK ABOUT THE GOT'S PRINCIPAL THEMES FOR 
THE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT.  ABDALLAH RESPONDED THAT BEN 
ALI HOPED T0 USE THE VISIT TO PROMOTE TUNISIA'S IMAGE 
AMONG THE U.S. PUBLIC AS A TOLERANT, OPEN ISLAMIC 
COUNTRY, COMMITTED TO MODERNIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 
ABDALLAH SAID THE VISIT WOULD HOPEFULLY HIGHLIGHT 
TUNISIA'S TRAILBLAZING ROLE IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD IN 
TERMS OF ADVANCING THE STATUS OF WOMEN.  IN THE 
F0REIGN POLICY REALM, ACC0RDING T0 ABDALLAH, BEN ALI'S 
U.S. SOJOURN WOULD HELP TO UNDERSCORE TUNISIA'S ROLE 
AS A MODERATE, CONSTRUCTIVE ACTOR IN THE REGION ON 
SUCH KEY ISSUES AS THE MEPP. 
 
4.  (C) AMBASSAD0R P0INTED OUT THAT, WHILE TUNISIA'S 
PAST EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF MEPP WERE PRAISEWORTHY, BEN 
ALI COULD EXPECT TO BE ASKED ABOUT UNRESOLVED 
ISSUES--FOR EXAMPLE, WHY THE GOT CONTINUED TO DELAY 
ISSUANCE OF A VISA TO THE DESIGNATED NEW HEAD OF THE 
ISRAELI INTERESTS SECTION HERE.  ABDALLAH ACKNOWLEDGED 
THAT THIS WAS A "COMPLICATED" QUESTI0N WHICH BEN ALI 
AND HIS TEAM W0ULD NEED TO BE READY TO ANSWER BEFORE 
U.S. AUDIENCES.  IN FAMILIAR GOT TERMS, HE CLAIMED 
THAT THE GOT WAS CONSTRAINED IN ITS EFFORTS T0 PROMOTE 
ITS ISRAELI RELATI0NSHIP BECAUSE 0F UNFAVORABLE PUBLIC 
OPINION HERE AND IN THE ARAB WORLD GENERALLY.  HE 
C0MPLAINED THAT, AS IT WAS, SOME IN THE ARAB WORLD 
BRANDED TUNISIA AS AN "UN-ISLAMIC" COUNTRY BECAUSE OF 
ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL AND ITS PROGRESSIVE 
SOCIAL POLICIES (E.G., OUTLAWING OF POLYGAMY). 
 
--------------------------------------- 
DIVISIVE REGIONAL ISSUES--MEPP AND IRAQ 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) ELABORATING, ABDALLAH STATED THAT, WHILE 
TUNISIANS BY AND LARGE SUPPORTED THE GOT'S ENLIGHTENED 
S0CIAL POLICIES, THEY WERE DIVIDED OVER SUCH KEY 
REGIONAL ISSUES AS THE PEACE PROCESS AND IRAQ.  HE 
ADMITTED THAT SOME STAUNCHLY PRO-IRAQI LOCAL J0URNALS 
HAD BEC0ME LESS SUPPORTIVE OF IRAQ 
LATELY--DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE TYRANNICAL SADDAM 
AND THE SUFFERING IRAQI PEOPLE--BUT NONETHELESS 
REMAINED STRONGLY ANTI-U.S. POLICY IN OUTLO0K, 
REFLECTING THE VIEWS OF MANY TUNISIANS.  ABDALLAH WENT 
ON TO ASSERT THAT WERE IT NOT FOR THE SELF-CENSORSHIP 
PRACTICED BY MANY JOURNALISTS, IN ORDER TO "AV0ID 
OFFENDING PRESIDENT BEN ALI" BY ATTACKING A FRIENDLY 
COUNTRY, THEY WOULD BE MUCH HARSHER IN THEIR CRITICISM 
OF U.S. MIDEAST POLICY. 
 
-------------------------- 
U.S. VERSUS TUNISIAN PRESS 
-------------------------- 
 
6.  (C) AMBASSADOR POINTED OUT THAT CRITICISM BY A 
FREE PRESS WAS INEVITABLE, NOTING THE OFTEN-SEVERE 
CRITICISM OF THE USG FOUND IN OUR OWN PRESS.  ABDALLAH 
RESPONDED THAT THE U.S. PRESS, BECAUSE OF WHAT HE SAW 
AS ITS UNIQUE HISTORICAL ORIGINS, COULD NOT BE 
COMPARED WITH THAT IN TUNISIA OR ELSEWHERE.  HE 
OBSERVED THAT, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING DATING BACK TO 
COLONIAL TIMES, THE U.S. PRESS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED BY 
ORDINARY CITIZENS INTENT ON USING THEIR NEWSPAPERS AS 
VEHICLES FOR FREE AND OPEN EXPRESSION OF VIEWS.  BY 
CONTRAST, HE ASSERTED, IN OTHER COUNTRIES RULING 
ELITES HAD "IMPOSED FROM ABOVE" A PRESS THAT HAS 
CIRCUMSCRIBED IN ITS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.  MOREOVER, 
HE ADDED, THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESS IN MANY 
COUNTRIES HAS NOT SO MUCH TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, AS TO 
EARN A PROFIT AS A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE--AGAIN IN 
CONTRAST TO THE U.S. EXPERIENCE. 
 
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SUPPORT FOR FREER MEDIA 
----------------------- 
 
7.  (C) ABDALLAH REPEATEDLY ASSERTED THAT THE GOT 
LEADERSHIP ENCOURAGED THE MEDIA TO BE MORE OPEN, BUT, 
HE INDICATED, SELF-CENSORSHIP REMAINED WIDESPREAD OUT 
OF JOURNALISTS' CONCERN NOT TO ANTAGONIZE THAT 
LEADERSHIP.  ABDALLAH DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME 
UNNAMED GOT OFFICIALS, WHILE PAYING LIP SERVICE TO THE 
NEED FOR EXPANDED MEDIA FREEDOMS, NONETHELESS 
PROTESTED STRENUOUSLY WHEN THEY THEMSELVES WERE 
AFFECTED BY NEGATIVE TELEVISION OR PRESS COVERAGE. 
(COMMENT:  ABDALLAH DOUBTLESS WAS REFERRING TO 
NEGATIVE REPORTING ABOUT GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, NOT 
SPECIFIC OFFICIALS, AS MEDIA CRITICISM OF OFFICIALS BY 
NAME OR POSITION IS NON-EXISTENT.  END COMMENT.) 
ACCORDING TO ABDALLAH, PRESIDENT BEN ALI HIMSELF WANTS 
TO SEE MORE OPENNESS IN THE MEDIA AND FORBIDS MEMBERS 
OF HIS IMMEDIATE STAFF FROM CONTACTING JOURNALS TO 
PROTEST OFFENDING ARTICLES.  ABDALLAH GAVE ASSURANCES 
THAT THE GOT PRESIDENCY WOULD CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR 
FREER TUNISIAN MEDIA IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION BY SOME 
IN THE GOVERNMENT.  HE STRESSED WHAT HE SAW AS THE 
CRUCIAL ROLE PLAYED BY OPPOSITION PARTY JOURNALS IN 
PROMOTING A FREE PRESS, SAYING THE GOT LEADERSHIP 
ENCOURAGED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH JOURNALS, WITH WHAT 
HE DESCRIBED AS THEIR MORE OPEN REPORTING, IN AN 
EFFORT TO WHITTLE DOWN THE PRACTICE OF SELF-CENSORSHIP 
BY THE MEDIA GENERALLY. 
 
------------ 
HUMAN RIGHTS 
------------ 
 
8.  (C) AMBASSAD0R SAID THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR BEN 
ALI TO DISCUSS FRANKLY AND OPENLY TUNISIA'S HUMAN 
RIGHTS SITUATION DURING HIS U.S. VISIT.  ABDALLAH TOOK 
THIS ON BOARD AND REMARKED THAT FOREIGN NGO'S AND 
OTHERS HAD VOICED "MANY EXAGGERATIONS" IN CRITICIZING 
THE GOT'S RECORD ON HUMAN RIGHTS.  HE CITED 
ALLEGATIONS ABOUT POLITICAL PRISONERS HERE AS A CASE 
IN POINT, MAINTAINING THAT THEY WERE NOT BEING HELD 
SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THEIR VIEWS, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE 
TYPICALLY ISLAMIST EXTREMISTS CONVICTED BY THE COURTS 
0F COMMITING ACTS OF VIOLENCE OR BEING INVOLVED IN 
PLOTTING SUCH ACTS.  AMBASSADOR RESP0NDED THAT, WHILE 
RESORTING TO, OR ESPOUSING VIOLENCE AS A P0LITICAL 
TOOL WAS UNACCEPTABLE IN ANY SOCIETY, THE FREEDOM TO 
CRITICIZE AND EXPRESS DISSENTING VIEWS, WHETHER BY 
ISLAMISTS OR OTHERS, NEEDED T0 BE RESPECTED.  ABDALLAH 
REJOINED THAT, FOR THE GOT, THERE WERE NO "MODERATE 
ISLAMISTS" WILLING TO ACCEPT DEMOCRATIC N0RMS; 
INSTEAD, THE GOT'S EXPERIENCE WAS THAT ISLAMISTS, EVEN 
IF PROFESSING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY, ACTUALLY REJECTED 
IT AND SOUGHT TO IMPOSE AN AUTHORITARIAN ISLAMIC 
STATE. 
 
9.  (C) AMBASSAD0R POINTED OUT THAT FREEDOM OF 
EXPRESSION AND DEBATE WAS KEY TO ANY EFFORT TO 
DEMOCRATIZE A POLITICAL SYSTEM, DESPITE INEVITABLE 
ABUSES 0F THESE FREEDOMS BY S0ME.  ABDALLAH REITERATED 
THE GOT'S COMMITMENT T0 DEMOCRATIZATION, CITING BEN 
ALI'S INITIATIVES, NOW ENSHRINED IN LEGISLATI0N, TO 
ENSURE MULTIPLE CANDIDATES IN THE 1999 PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS AS WELL AS A MINIMUM OF 20 PERCENT OF 
PARLIAMENTARY SEATS FOR OPPOSITION CANDIDATES IN THIS 
YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS.  ABDALLAH ADDED THAT THE 
GOT'S COMMITMENT TO UNDERTAKE DEMOCRATIC REFORMS UNDER 
ITS ASSOCIATI0N AGREEMENT WITH THE EUR0PEAN UNION 
REFLECTED ITS "STRATEGIC CHOICE" IN FAVOR OF OPEN 
POLITICAL, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC, SYSTEMS. 
 
-------------- 
THE KSILA CASE 
-------------- 
 
10.  (C) AMBASSADOR RAISED THE CASE OF TUNISIAN HUMAN 
RIGHTS LEAGUE VICE PRESIDENT KHEMAIS KSILA, IMPRISONED 
SINCE FEBRUARY 1998 FOLLOWING ARREST AND CONVICTION IN 
COURT FOR CIRCULATING AN ANTI-GOT COMMUNIQUE.  NOTING 
THE QUESTIONABLE GROUNDS FOR KSILA'S PROSECUTION, 
AMBASSADOR URGED THAT THE GOT LOOK FOR WAYS TO RELEASE 
THE ACTIVIST, POINTING OUT THAT DOING SO PRIOR TO BEN 
ALI'S WASHINGTON VISIT WOULD BE ESPECIALLY NOTICED BY 
U.S. AUDIENCES.  ABDALLAH RESPONDED, ALONG STANDARD 
GOT LINES, THAT KSILA HAD BEEN PROSECUTED AND 
CONVICTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TUNISIAN LAW.  (COMMENT: 
IN FACT, THERE WERE SEVERAL IRREGULARITIES, INCLUDING 
THE GOT SWITCHING JUDGES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIAL.) 
NONETHELESS, HE INDICATED THAT THE GOT WOULD BE 
PREPARED TO CONSIDER GRANTING HIM EARLY RELEASE UNDER 
A CLEMENCY ARRANGEMENT SIMILAR TO THAT EXTENDED TO 
OTHER PRISONERS.  THE RUB, ACCORDING TO ABDALLAH, WAS 
THAT SO FAR KSILA HAD REFUSED TO SUBMIT THE STANDARD 
LETTER TO HEN ALI, REQUESTING CLEMENCY, REQUIRED OF 
ALL PRISONERS SEEKING EARLY RELEASE.  ABDALLAH CLAIMED 
THAT WHILE KSILA'S WIFE HAD URGED HIM TO SUBMIT THE 
LETTER, HE STUBBORNLY REFUSED.  WHEN AMBASSADOR ASKED 
WHY, ABDALLAH RESPONDED THAT KSILA HAD AN OBSTINATE 
CHARACTER AND PERHAPS WISHED TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS A 
MARTYR.  IN RESPONSE T0 AMBASSADOR'S QUERY, ABDALLAH 
FLATLY DISMISSED KISILA AS A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE 
BEN ALI GOVERNMENT, SAYING KSILA HAD NO SIGNIFICANT 
FOLLOWING IN POLITICAL CIRCLES. 
 
-------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
11.  (C) ABDALLAH, WIDELY VIEWED AS A KEY MEMBER OF 
THE PRESIDENT'S INNER CIRCLE, HAS SERVED IN HIS 
CURRENT POSITION SINCE DECEMBER 1990.  LIKE OTHER 
SENIOR ADVISERS TO BEN ALI, ABDALLAH MAINTAINS A LOW 
PUBLIC PROFILE; DESPITE THE TITLE OF PRESIDENTIAL 
SPOKESMAN, HE RARELY MAKES PUBLIC PRON0UNCEMENTS. 
ABDALLAH IS REGARDED BY SOME TUNISIAN AND DIPLOMATIC 
CONTACTS AS A SHADOWY FIGURE, ORCHESTRATING SECRETIVE, 
AUTHORITARIAN TENDENCIES WITH THE HEN ALI GOVERNMENT. 
HOWEVER, HE PROJECTED A FAR DIFFERENT IMAGE IN HIS 
CONVERSATI0N WITH THE AMBASSADOR, COMING ACROSS AS 
SM0OTH, SELF-CONFIDENT, AND ENGAGING INTERLOCUT0R.  HE 
SEEMED WELL-DISP0SED T0WARD THE U.S., RECALLING WARMLY 
HIS DEALINGS OVER THE YEARS WITH A SUCCESSION OF U.S. 
AMBASSAD0RS, JOURNALISTS, AND 0THERS.  ABDALLAH 
APPEARED TO BE WELL-INFORMED ABOUT THE U.S. MEDIA 
ESTABLISHMENT; HE SPOKE FONDLY OF A 1987 MEETING HERE, 
AS INFORMATI0N MINISTER, WITH THE WASHINGTON POST'S 
KATHRYN GRAHAM.  HOWEVER, WE HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE 
ABILITY OF ABDALLAH AND HEN ALI TO IMPLEMENT A SERIOUS 
COMMITMENT TO A MORE OPEN MEDIA, ASSUMING THEY HAVE 
SUCH A COMMITMENT; VARIOUS CONTACTS HAVE ALLEGED THAT 
IT IS ABDALLAH HIMSELF, NOT OTHER UNNAMED OFFICIALS HE 
CITED, WHO IS RESISTANT TO A FREER TUNISIAN MEDIA. 
 
12.  (C) ABDALLAH'S PREDICTABLY EXAGGERATED PORTRAYAL 
OF BEN ALI AS ENERGETIC, REFORM-MINDED LEADER 0F A 
MODERNIZING, TOLERANT ISLAMIC COUNTRY SERVED AS A 
FORETASTE OF THE GOT'S MEDIA CAMPAIGN SURROUNDING THE 
UPCOMING WASHINGT0N VISIT.  ABDALLAH SEEMS TO REALIZE, 
THOUGH, THAT PROMOTING THIS PRESIDENTIAL IMAGE WILL 
REQUIRE BEN ALI TO BE ARTICULATE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD 
IN ADDRESSING THE TOUGHER ISSUES BEF0RE U.S. 
AUDIENCES--SUCH AS THE G0T'S LESS-THAN-PERFECT HUMAN 
RIGHTS RECORD AND THE GOT'S FAILURE OF LATE TO BE AS 
SUPPORTIVE AS IN THE PAST OF U.S. EFFORTS ON THE 
MEPP.  END C0MMENT. 
 
13.  (C) BIO DETAILS:  ABDALLAH, BORN IN 1940, WAS 
EDUCATED AS A LAWYER IN FRANCE.  HE IS A VETERAN 
JOURNALIST AND ACTIVIST IN THE RULING PARTY.  PRIOR TO 
HIS CURRENT POSITION, HE SERVED AS AMBASSAD0R TO 
BRITAIN (1988-90) AND INFORMATI0N MINISTER (1987-88). 
AMONG HIS EARLIER POSITIONS:  DIRECTOR OF TUNISIA'S 
NATI0NAL PRESS SERVICE (1986-87), PUBLISHER OF 
FRENCH-LANGUAGE DAILY "LA PRESSE DE TUNISIE" 
(1979-86), AND CHIEF OF STAFF TO INFORMATION MINISTER 
(1978-79) AND TO CULTURE MINISTER (1976-78).  ALTHOUGH 
HE APPEARS TO UNDERSTAND ENGLISH, HE C0NVERSED WITH 
AMBASSADOR IN FRENCH; HE ALSO SPEAKS ARABIC. 
 
 
RAPHEL