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Title: Mrs. Clinton promises to create jobs in Tunisia
Source:
Breitbart
URL Source: http://www.breitbart.com/article.ph ... 8cab0215312e.01&show_article=1
Published: Mar 17, 2011
Author: afp
Post Date: 2011-03-17 10:55:32 by Happy Quanzaa
Keywords: None
Views: 4511
Comments: 11
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged Thursday to help Tunisia create jobs and undertake reforms to keep the momentum behind the revolution that overthrew its president two months ago. The chief US diplomat began talks with interim President Foued Mebazaa, who replaced the ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, after saying that an international donors conference would help to focus minds on Tunisia's needs. New government officials and other Tunisians understand "we need a plan for economic development, for jobs," Clinton told reporters during a tour of Tunisian Red Crescent offices. "There's going to be a donors conference that will be held in some months. I'm going to be sending a delegation from the United States," said Clinton who arrived Wednesday in Tunis as the most senior US official to visit since Ben Ali's ouster on January 14. "So we want to know what Tunisia wants. We don't want to come in and say here's what the United States believes... Then we want to work on plans... a plan for health, we want to help do what we can to have a plan for jobs," she said. "The revolution created so many hopes and now we have to translate those hopes into results and that comes through economic reform and political reform," Clinton told Tunisian reporters. Unemployment was a major factor in the political unrest that erupted in Tunisia in December. Tunisia's unemployment rate is officially 14 percent, but the percentage of graduates without work is about double that, prompting a warning from the International Monetary Fund. In her tour of the Red Crescent training center, officials told her of the aid they provided to the tens of thousands of workers who crossed the border from Libya fleeing the fighting sparked by Tunisian-inspired protests. She praised their work. Apart from Mebazza, Clinton will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Mouldi Kefi and interim Prime Minister Beji Caid Essebsi. And her visit will take in meetings with young people who took part in the mass protests. But about a hundred Tunisians marched in Tunis under tight security Wednesday to protest Clinton's visit. Demonstrators chanted: "No to normalisation, Tunisia is free and not for sale" or "Tunisia is an Arab country, neither imperialist nor Zionist." It was the second demonstration in two days in the capital against her visit, after a similar number protested on Tuesday. When she announced her plans to visit Egypt and Tunisia last week, she said she would convey the US intention to be "a partner in the important work that lies ahead as they embark on a transition to a genuine democracy." Amid warnings about Iran's bid for influence in the Middle East, she told US lawmakers at the time that "we have an enormous stake in ensuring that Egypt and Tunisia provide models for the kind of democracy that we want to see." Clinton said she would also push for 20 million dollars for Tunisia to "respond to some of their needs" after Tunisian officials clamored for US help, but hinted at more aid. "We need to have a very big commitment to Tunisia, that we can be ready to help them economically as well as with their democratic transformation," said the secretary. Standard & Poor's on Wednesday trimmed its long-term credit rating of Tunisia by one notch to BBB-, but said it viewed the political outlook as now stable following the overthrow of Ben Ali. Just over a week after Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia, Washington dispatched Jeffrey Feltman, the assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, to Tunis. Then William Burns, the US under-secretary of state for political affairs, visited Tunis last month. The popular uprising against Ben Ali, who ruled with an iron fist for 23 years, began after a 26-year-old fruit vendor, Mohammed Bouazizi, died after setting fire to himself to protest police abuses. It sparked similar protests in Egypt, where president Hosni Mubarak was toppled on February 11, as well as in other countries across the region such as Bahrain, Oman, Yemen and Libya. Tunis is the last stop of a three-capital tour that also took Clinton to Paris, where she discussed events in Libya, before her visit to Egypt.
Clinton pushes for jobs, reform in transitioning Tunisia
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#1. To: Happy Quanzaa (#0)
Today the Republican House has one bill scheduled for debate, a measure to end public funding for NPR. Jobs aren't a national priority for the GOP.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
God bless this fine woman.
------------------------------------- Good, Congress should have killed that anti-Semitic Islamo-terror sympathizing taxpayer funded propaganda machine long ago.
yeah, that's more important than anything else right now.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
It's a start. I sent a strongly worded email just yesterday to my freshmen (alleged Tea Party) representative for voting "Yea" with the RINO House leadership on the CR budget extension. I want the rest of the federal government shut down right along with NPR.
I'm sure the soldiers in Afghanistan welcome your support for cutting off their pay checks.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
Won't happen, you moron. Didn't happen in '94 and won't happen now. Not only that, federal employees got a free vacation, they got every dime of back pay when they went back to work.
So you want the government shut down except..... fill in the list.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
You didn't know that Pan Am 103 happened "after" Reagan bombed Libya and you call me a moron? Seriously?
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
D.O.D., regulating (not abusing) interstate commerce, that's about all the Constitution gives them the power to do. I'd like them to start up border security, they have the Constitutional authority, and duty, to take care of that. Of course, that's the one of the few things they won't do.
You are absolutely correct!!!! I was in Cuba at the time and every cent I was supposed to receive was deposited in my checking account..... Sun, sand, fishing, beer, iguanas and fun....... aaaaahhhhhhh what a life at GITMO.......
"I love the 45 caliber M1911, I respect the 9MM M9 Beretta but I only carry a CZ for my own personal protection". Quote courtesy of Lt Col John Dean Cooper, recognized as the Father of Modern Handgunning
#2. To: Happy Quanzaa (#0)
Why don't you make like a tree and get out of here?
#3. To: go65 (#1)
Today the Republican House has one bill scheduled for debate, a measure to end public funding for NPR.
#4. To: Happy Quanzaa (#3)
Good, Congress should have killed that anti-Semitic Islamo-terror sympathizing taxpayer funded propaganda machine long ago.
#5. To: go65 (#4)
yeah, that's more important than anything else right now.
#6. To: Happy Quanzaa (#5)
It's a start. I sent a strongly worded email just yesterday to my freshmen (alleged Tea Party) representative for voting "Yea" with the RINO House leadership on the CR budget extension. I want the rest of the federal government shut down right along with NPR.
#7. To: go65 (#6)
welcome your support for cutting off their pay checks.
#8. To: Happy Quanzaa (#7)
Won't happen, you moron. Didn't happen in '94 and won't happen now. Not only that, federal employees got a free vacation, they got every dime of back pay when they went back to work.
#9. To: Happy Quanzaa (#7)
Won't happen, you moron
#10. To: go65 (#8)
#11. To: Happy Quanzaa (#7)
Won't happen, you moron. Didn't happen in '94 and won't happen now.
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