Tunisia says human rights no bar to closer EU tie

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS (Reuters) - EU negotiators have not expressed concern about Tunisia's human rights record during talks to forge closer ties, Tunisian officials said on Friday, despite continuing criticism from rights groups.

Making Tunisia an "advanced partner" of the European Union would place it alongside Morocco as a favoured neighbour and boost the north African country's international standing and access to European markets.

"There are no reservations towards Tunisia by the EU in our negotiations to obtain advanced partner status, which have already started," Development and International Cooperation Minister Mohamed Nouri Jouini told reporters in Tunis.

Rights groups are demanding the EU freeze the talks on grounds that Tunisia harasses government opponents and democracy activists and muzzles journalists critical of the authorities, accusations the government denies.

"Be assured that the issue of human rights and freedoms does not worry us at all in our negotiations for the rank of advanced partner, but are issues that we are proud of," Justice and Human Rights Minister Bechir Tekkari said.

President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who has been in power for 22 years and won a fifth term in office last month with 89.62 percent of the vote, has promised to expand democracy and reduce unemployment.

On Thursday, he pardoned 38 prisoners, jailed last year after riots in the deprived southern mining region of Gasfa, but rights campaigners say the government continues to suppress freedom of speech.

The authorities arrested a strong critic of Ben Ali, Taoufik Ben Brik, last Friday when a woman filed a complaint of assault after an argument with the journalist, a judicial source said.