Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali's visit to Washington delayed

The official visit to be made by Tunisian President Zein El-Abidin Bin Ali to Washington this month was delayed until autumn.

Tunisian official sources said the visit was not delayed for political reasons and that the delay does not change the good relations that have bound the two countries since the first official visit made by the Tunisian president to Washington in 1989.

The sources referred to a recent increase in the United States' concern with developing economic and political relations with Tunis, saying that visits to Tunis were paid by US officials last month topped by Defense Secretary William Cohen and the US Undersecretary of State Martin Indyk.

Yet al-Wehda weekly opposition newspaper issued in Tunis said the delay in the visit came due to severe criticism of US policy toward Arab issues.