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Tunisian President Ben Ali expresses thanks for Fuwa's Seven Days in Tunisia

Tetsuzo Fuwa
SEVEN DAYS IN TUNISIA
128 pp, 1,200 yen (plus shipping, tax only for domestic purchases)

Tunisia's President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has sent a letter of thanks to Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo for sending him Seven Days in Tunisia, the English translation of Fuwa's book, in July.

The letter was forwarded to Fuwa by the Tunisian Ambassador to Japan, Salah Hannachi, on September 14.

In forwarding the letter, Hannachi wrote: "I would avail myself of this opportunity to express to you my gratitude for your interest in Tunisia and my appreciation of your kind support and friendship."

President Ben Ali wrote:

"I have received with great interest a copy of your valuable book "Seven Days in Tunisia" along with your kind dedication.

In thanking you for this kind initiative, I would like to express to you my great appreciation for the tribute you have paid in your book to modern Tunisia's march towards modernity and development and her continuous efforts to establish balanced and just relations based on cooperation, solidarity and peace.

I would avail myself of this opportunity to express to you our appreciation for your sincere friendship towards Tunisia and our ambition to reinforce further the friendly and cooperative relations between Tunisia and Japan in all fields. I would also like to underline that Tunisia will always extend its hospitality to you and to all Japanese friends, so welcome all to Tunisia.

With my best wishes for happiness and success."

Seven Days in Tunisia is Fuwa's account of his visit to Tunisia in July 2003 when he attended the Congress of the governing party, the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) led by President Ben Ali. Fuwa's journal was first published in Akahata in a series of articles. Its English translation was recently published by Japan Press Service.

Seven Days in Tunisia contains not only his observation of the RCD Congress but also everything he experienced during his seven-day visit to that country: his meeting with Tunisian President Ben Ali; his talks with Ben Yahia, Tunisia's foreign minister at the time and advisor to the president at present, who is an old acquaintance of Fuwa; his tour of Carthage and the ancient Tunisian capital of Qairawan. The book also touches upon Tunisia's history, culture, and other aspects of national life as well as its position in the Islamic world and international politics.

In January 2004, Abderrahmen Bouhrizi, deputy secretary-general of the RCD, attended the JCP 23rd Congress. The JCP and the governing party of the Islamic country have thus developed their close relations through sending representatives to each other's party congresses. -- Akahata, September 15, 2005