Chief of US troops in Europe visits Tunis

Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali on Tuesday received the commander of the US armed forces in Europe, Gen. Wesley Clark, who is on a three-day visit to the country.

Tunisian state-run media quoted a statement by Gen. Clark as saying that he "held an important and useful meeting" with President Bin Ali on "Bilateral cooperation and the firm friendship ties" between the US and Tunis.

Present at the meeting were Tunisian Defense Minister al-Habib Bin Yahya and the US ambassador to Tunis. A US source said Gen. Clark, who arrived in Tunis on Sunday for an official visit to the country, will discuss bilateral military issues and the question of security in the region, al-Nahar reported.

Clark's visit included a meeting with the Tunisian defense minister and visits to certain military sites in Banzart, in the north of the country. The US general left Tunis later in the day heading for Greece.