LEAD: Tunisia's leaders discuss aid, reforms with EU, IMF

Feb 2, 2012, 18:11 GMT

Brussels/Tunis - Tunisia hopes that the European Union's backing for democratic transitions in the Arab world will evolve into even greater support, the country's new moderate Islamist leader said in Brussels on Thursday.

'Thank you for your moral support, which I hope will translate into a real support,' Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali, who was on his first overseas visit since becoming premier, said after a meeting with EU President Herman Van Rompuy.

Jebali's Ennahda party, which has been compared to Turkey's ruling moderate Justice and Development Party (AKP), came to power in democratic elections last October.

Ennahda won the lion's share of seats in a constituent assembly, which is tasked with writing a new constitution within a year.

Many liberal Tunisians fear that the dominance of the assembly by Islamists could threaten the status of women, which is more advanced in Tunisia than in much of the Arab world.

Jebali assured that the constitution would enshrine the rule of law, freedom of religion and women's rights, making 'Tunisia a model of freedom and prosperity.'

In a joint EU-Tunisia communique, Jebali also confirmed his government's plans to hold transparent and democratic general elections within 18 months.

Van Rompuy said the EU was 'determined' to offer Tunisia a privileged partnership, foster foreign investments in the country, develop trade ties and the 'prospective of a progressive integration of the Tunisian economy' into the bloc's single market.

In return, the EU expected reforms on security, electoral law and judicial sector reforms, he said.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU's aid to Tunisia, which was increased from 240 million euros to 400 million euros for the 2011-2013 period, was aimed at improving the conditions for democracy to take root.

'We know how important it is for the sustainability of democracy to have a concrete response to people's problems, especially young people looking for work.' he said in a statement.

While Jebali was in Brussels, the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, was wrapping up a two-day visit to Tunisia.

Lagarde, who met with President Moncef Marzouki after meeting Wednesday with Jebali and the head of the central bank, said she had offered Tunisia financial support from the IMF but stressed the government in Tunis had not yet requested an IMF loan.

Central bank governor Mustapha Kamel Nabli told a press conference with Lagarde the government was still finalizing its international financing needs.

Tunisia's was the first of the so-called Arab Spring democratic revolutions, which last year led to the overthrow of autocratic regimes also in Egypt and Libya and sparked still-ongoing unrest in Syria.

In Tunisia, the revolution triggered a sharp economic downturn, caused mainly by a massive fall-off in tourists from Europe.

While the country has regained stability, some Western tourists are still nervous about visiting the country, fearing the country's new Islamist leaders may not be welcoming.

Barroso assured European tourists had nothing to fear.

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