NATO and Tunisia take defence cooperation forward

[Zarvan]

The NATO Deputy Secretary General Ambassador Alexander Vershbow welcomed Tunisia’s Prime Minister Habib Essid to NATO Headquarters, In Brussel, on Thursday (28 May 2015) to review the partnership between NATO and Tunisia.

The Prime Minister of Tunisia, Habib Essid, and the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Alexander Vershbow (Photo: NATO)

Last year Tunisia and NATO approved an Individual Partnership and Cooperation Programme focused on several priority areas, including political dialogue, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, border security, cyber defence, defence planning and management and science cooperation. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss how to further develop the partnership between NATO and Tunisia in areas of mutual interest, including counter-terrorism and military education and training.

Tunisia is a long standing NATO partner and joined the NATO Mediterranean Dialogue in 1994. NATO vessels have conducted regular port visits to Tunisia in recent years. During several of these visits joint exercises were conducted by the Tunisian Navy and naval assets from NATO countries.
NATO and Tunisia take defence cooperation forward 30206153 | June 2015 Global Defense Security news UK | Defense Security global news industry army 2015
@Mootaz-khelifi @Tunisian Marine Corps @Sunni Falcon @Horus
I hope after this pacts and deals Tunisia get lots of new Tanks and APC and other weapons

 

[Tunisian Marine Corps]

nice i hope new gears to the army from NATO members and more training exercises with NATO

 

[Ceylal]

That will be the down fall of Tunisia...
Tunisia Has Not Joined Nato and Will Not Do It, Says Khemaies Jhinaoui
Tunis — Tunisia has not joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and is not preparing to do it, Diplomatic Adviser to the President of the Republic Khemaies Jhinaoui said on Wednesday.

In an interview with TAP, he added that the announcement made last May 21 by President Barack Obama during his meeting in Washington with President Béji Caid Essebsi is an American bilateral decision which has no relation with the NATO. "The status granted by the United States to Tunisia is that of a major non-NATO ally," he noted.

The diplomatic adviser added that the United States, which is one of the founders of the Alliance in 1949, has privileged relationships with major non-NATO allies in a way allowing them access to co-operation in various fields including security and military.


He underlined that the United States has granted the status of major non-NATO ally to several other Arab countries, namely Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain and Kuwait.

After having obtained this status, Tunisia has no commitment to the United States and will not help the entry of foreign forces on our soil, he said.

He denied Tunisia will authorise the construction of an American military base on its territories.



"To the Algerians, I say that Tunisia holds on its sovereignty and will not change policy towards neighbouring Algeria, a country that has a capital importance in our foreign relations.

allAfrica.com: Tunisia Has Not Joined Nato and Will Not Do It, Says Khemaies Jhinaoui