Dear Mr. Aaron:

Thank you for your letter of January 6, 2003, concerning the situation in Tunisia.

The Department ofForeigD Affairs and Intemational Trade has observed very closely the attempts of the International Commission of Jurists to enter Tunisia and is well aware of the Tunisian authorities' refusal to allow Judge Alice Desjardins entry into the country in June 2002. We were also very disappointed that a second ICJ delegation was tUrned away fi"om Tunisia in October 2002.

Following these regrettable incidents, Canada's Ambassador to Tunis expressed our concerns to the Tunisian Department of Foreign Affairs and indicated that such actions tarnish Tunisia J s image and convey a lack of commitment to transparency in the domains of human rights, the rule of law and the integrity of the judiciary. These concerns were also discussed with the Tunisian Ambassador in Ottawa.

The issue of human rights in Tunisia is raised on a regular basis with Tunisian authorities, who are well aware of Canada "s concerns in the matter. I can assure you that the Department will continue to encourage Tunisia to fully respect its internatIonal obligations in view of political and civil rights.

Sincerely,
Bill Graham