French Prime Minister Francois Fillon told his Tunisian counterpart Mohammed Ghannouchi Friday that he would lobby the European Union to speed up negotiations on a strategic partnership with the north African country, dpa reported.
The premier, in a telephone conversation with Ghannouchi, had "reiterated our determination to see negotiations for the granting by the EU of an advanced status to Tunisia be concluded as quickly as possible," the French government said in a statement.
Fillon also gave the thumbs-up to Ghannouchi's proposal for an international conference on Tunisia's democratic transition to be held soon in Carthage, on the outskirts of the capital Tunis.
Ghannouchi on Thursday announced that a conference on the political and economic reforms being implemented by his transitional government would be held soon, but gave no date.
Such a conference would likely garner pledges of international funding for Tunisia.
Fillon called it an "excellent" initiative and pledged France's full support.
France is making efforts to mend relations with its former colony, where it supported the autocratic regime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali until he was ousted by massive street protests in mid-January.
Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie was particularly criticized after it emerged she had holidayed in Tunisia while the pro-democracy uprising that inspired the current upheavals in Egypt was underway.
Fillon said Finance Minister Christine Lagarde would travel to Tunisia soon to discuss strengthening economic ties between the two countries and help organize the conference.
On Monday, the EU's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, is expected in Tunisia.
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