Tunis — Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali conferred Monday with General Electric (GE) Vice Chairman John Rice, with attendance of Industry Minister Mohamed Lamine Chakhari.

In a statement to the press at the end of the meeting, Mr. Rice recalled that the American group has been active in Tunisia for more than 30 years, reasserting that "the aim of our visit is to reinforce our confidence in and commitment to Tunisia in the coming period."

He pointed out, in this regard, the "importance that Tunisia represents for GE and the whole region," estimating that "the country is moving in the right direction."

Mr. Rice also voiced satisfaction at the fact that the Tunisian Government "has clear and well-defined priorities." He said that "the Government expressed its priorities and sought the Group's assistance to achieve them."

"Our role," he specified, "is to determine the specific actions to adopt to meet the country's priorities and make sure we collaborate with the Government and our partners in Tunisia to ensure the best possible outcome."