FM inaugurates ASBU new premises

As instructed by President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, foreign affairs minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah presided, on Friday in Tunis, over the inauguration ceremony of the new premises of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), with attendance of Messrs. Mohamed Khamlichi, deputy secretary-general, head of the information and communication department at the Arab League, Hamraoui Habib Chawki, ASBU chairman, Slaheddine Maouia, director-general of the Union, chairmen and representatives of Arab radio and television establishments members of ASBU and former secretary-generals of this organisation.

TUNIS - As instructed by President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, foreign affairs minister Abdelwaheb Abdallah presided, on Friday in Tunis, over the inauguration ceremony of the new premises of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), with attendance of Messrs. Mohamed Khamlichi, deputy secretary-general, head of the information and communication department at the Arab League, Hamraoui Habib Chawki, ASBU chairman, Slaheddine Maouia, director-general of the Union, chairmen and representatives of Arab radio and television establishments members of ASBU and former secretary-generals of this organisation.

 

The minister extended to the attendance the greetings of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali on the opening of these new headquarters and his wishes that ASBU carry on discharging its duties in the service of Arab media.

Mr. Abdelwaheb Abdallah pointed out that this event has a particular importance as it coincides with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the November 7 Change, one of the priorities of which was entrenching Tunisia in its Arab environment and strengthening its relations with the large Arab community.

He stressed, in this context, the important position that President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali has given, since the first years of the Change, to the Arab dimension in the tenets of Tunisia's foreign policy.

He said, in this respect, that the Head of State has spared no effort to restore cohesion and solidarity in the Arab ranks, boost Arab joint action and consolidate its institutions, in such a manner as to serve the causes of the Arab region and enhance its ability to play a more efficient role on the international stage.

The foreign minister underlined that Tunisia wishes that the technological revolution of modern communication which brought about considerable changes in the world audiovisual media scene will serve dialogue and communications between civilisations and peoples and contribute to the establishment of the values of tolerance, concord and solidarity in the world.

 Mr. Abdelwaheb Abdallah reiterated, in conclusion, Tunisia's determination, and the Head of State's in person, to further support ASBU action and back up efforts of the sisterly Arab countries to promote the services of this important Arab institution and help it discharge its duties to the best.

Earlier, the minister had been presented an exposé on the components of this five-storeyed edifice covering a total area of 5524 square metres built on a 2252-square-metre land.

It contains notably a reception hall, a conference room, technical, broadcasting and translation halls, as well as archives, the technical management centre and the multimedia library.

For his part, ASBU director general Slaheddine Maouia underlined that the inauguration by the foreign minister of this new premises, reiterated the sustained interest that president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali takes in the Union and the importance he gives to the role of this institution in the consolidation of the foundations of Arab joint action in the audiovisual field.

 

This interest, he pointed, was materialised through the Head of State's decision to reserve a land to ASBU for the construction of modern premises worthy of the Union and to place this event under his high patronage which is likely to encourage the Union to forge ahead on the path of progress and prosperity and promote its noble media mission.

The ASBU director general pointed out that the Union will start in the coming months the implementation of a new multimedia satellite exchange system which will bring about a qualitative change in terms of all forms of exchanges.

Mr. Hamraoui Habib Chawki expressed his consideration to president Ben Ali for his sustained keenness to follow up the organisation's activities and combine all conditions allowing the Union to discharge its mission to the best.

A ceremony was organised, on the same occasion, in honour of the former director generals who had received from the foreign minister the organisation's honorary medal.

They are Messrs Abdelhafidh Herguem, Abderraouf Basti and Abdallah Chakroun. The ASBU's honorary medal was also awarded to Mr. Tarek Abdelkader, son of Slah Abdelkader, first director general of the Union.

Mr. Abdelwaheb Abdallah also presented the ASBU's honorary medal to Mr. Hamraoui Habib Chawki, chairman of the Union.

TAP

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