Severing Diplomatic Relations with Syria Fatal Mistake: Belkhodja

 TUNIS, (ST)_  Former Tunisian Minister of Interior Tahir Belkhodja  described severing diplomatic relations with Syria as a  fatal diplomatic mistake because embassies are existed to solve problems of countries, not to endorse or support a certain  leadership.

In an interview with the Tunisian daily “the Tunisian”  published Sunday, Belkhodja  said : ” the Tunisian terrorists   who are sent to Syria , calling  themselves” jihadists ” are mislead  , calling  on the Tunisian government  to drain the headwaters of this phenomenon and the networks that implicated young Tunisians  . 

The Belkhodja pointed out that Tunisia is  threatened  by terrorism that seeks to sweep all the region for more than ten years,  after al-Qaeda’s decision to move its terrorism from Afghanistan to the Great Islamic Maghreb. 

He warned that Tunisia ‘s stability is  threatened for years to come if there is no will , balances, political decisions, national unity and urgent solutions to it , demanding preparations  to confront terrorism in the coming years and coordination with  countries concerned l, including  Algeria.

He pointed out that the assassination of the Tunisian militant  Shukri Belaïd  was a calamity befell in Tunis, stressing that Belaid was killed because he had strong convictions of great influence on people  , a bright  political future and  in order to intimidate politicians and people, alike. 

T. Fateh