Union in Tunisia meets Assad to discuss restarting relations

 

A delegation of the Tunisian General Union (UGTT) met with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad this week to discuss re-establishing relations between the two countries.

Deputy Secretary General Bouali Mbarki added in a telephone statement to Tunisian Agency Press that the meeting was also an opportunity to express Tunisia’s support for Syria whilst discussing the fight on terrorism.

Tunisia will always stand with Syria to support it in the war it is fighting against terrorism until it is defeated

he said. According to the union’s official social media page, the Syrian President held a meeting to reassure the trade union delegation about the situation of Tunisians living abroad.

“Bashar Al-Assad said that he sees these Tunisians as Syrian citizens and that he seeks to provide them with the necessary interest and support,” he added.

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In addition, a formal working session will be organised today with leaders of the Syrian Labour Union to develop a programme of cooperation between the two countries and the possibility of signing twinning agreements between the regional sections of the UGTT and their counterparts in Syria.

“The first meeting took place the previous day between the Tunisian delegation and the representatives of the Syrian Labour Union,” added Mbarki, who described the meeting as “cordial” and “fraternal”. The Tunisian delegation is expected to leave Syria tomorrow. Mbarki stressed that the situation in Syria is “very ordinary” contrary to the information relayed “by some media”.

Read: Tunisia parliament rejects restoring diplomatic ties with Syria

Tunisia, under President Moncef Marzouki, took a strong stance against Al-Assad in 2012 and cut relations in reaction to Syria’s suppression of the pro-democracy uprising.