London — Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki and Ennahdha leader Rached Ghannouchi, joint winners of "Chatham House" prize, received on Monday in London their prize at the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

The Chatham house prize is an annual award presented to the statesperson deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatam House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.

The prize was handed over to President Marzouki and Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, at a ceremony attended by members of the Institute, politicians, academics, intellectuals and journalists.

" This prize rewards the two both recipients for their contribuition to the success of Tunisia's democratic transition experience and their historic role in fighting against repression and dictatorship" Director of the Institute Robin Neblett said, adding that the coalition government experience represents, in many respects "a clear example of democratic practice in North Africa and the Middle East after the revolution."

Presient Marzouki said he was happy to receive this prize which, he declared, "outshines myself to testify to the acknowlegment of Tunisia's original political experience and the sacrifices of the revolution martyrs ".

This prize, said in turn Rached Ghannouchi is "a tribute to the Tunisian revolution and a real acknowledgement by Western countries of the Tunisian experience".